Here is what happens with many boards. You have a group of individuals who have been honestly working hard to improve their community. Far too often, they have been trying to remove the old board members who are putting their friends in positions, giving contracts to their friends, using their influence to get back at people they or their family members don't like.
Now, our new group gets elected. These people have been ethical individuals, on the outside, very frustrated by the misuse of power they have seen. Now it is their turn to be in charge. What happens?
As an observer in just such a board turnover this week, here is what I saw. Art started the meeting by saying,
"I think our first priority should be to give the Assistant Director a raise and a promotion."
I asked,
"What do you mean? He was just promoted three months ago."
Art replied,
"Yes, but he really helped us in this board election, talking to people, getting them to vote for us. We might not have gotten elected without him. Besides, the last board did not appreciate him so because they were so busy taking care of their friends, they forgot about the people like him."
This seemed a bit of a double standard to me. I asked Art,
"Well, aren't you trying to do the same thing, just take care of your friends? Are you telling me that we need to give him a promotion and a raise because he supported us in the election?"
Art dropped the subject but gave me a dirty look and muttered something under his breath about thinking we were all on the same side.
You should know that Phyllis had once worked at Sam's Cafe and had quit in an argument over whether she should get a raise. Phyllis started in next,
"I don't think we should use Sam's Cafe for the food for our events any more. We should give our business to people who support our programs. "
I interrupted her,
"What do you mean? He donated free food for our Parent Night, he donated money $500 in our last fund drive when we were five hundred dollars short."
Phyllis frowned at me and continued,
"Sam doesn't support our community. He doesn't hire our community members."
I argued,
"What do you mean? He has five people working for him."
Phyllis continued, angrily,
"He also doesn't pay above minimum wage. We need businesses that support minimum wage. We should not support his business at all."
Finally, I lost my temper and said,
"Look Phyllis, just because you don't like Sam does not mean we are all going to vote to have him castrated. That isn't what being on a board is about. It's not getting even with people who you disagree with. Yes, you are right that Sam doesn't pay high wages but for some people, they are just happy to have a job. Not everyone has to have the same opinion as you."
And so, it went on and on. What happens to good people who suddenly get in a position of power? A lot of things, there is the old saying "Power corrupts."
Why? In part because these are people who have been on the outside and suddenly they have the chance to get back at the people who they believe have treated them poorly. Some of them, such as Phyllis, truly believe that their 'enemies' are bad, that only paying minimum wage is a bad thing. When these people are not on the board, this is their opinion, and that is all it is. Now, they suddenly have the ability to make their opinion policy.
Here is what they need to think about, yes, you may have that power, but do you have that RIGHT?
Now, our new group gets elected. These people have been ethical individuals, on the outside, very frustrated by the misuse of power they have seen. Now it is their turn to be in charge. What happens?
As an observer in just such a board turnover this week, here is what I saw. Art started the meeting by saying,
"I think our first priority should be to give the Assistant Director a raise and a promotion."
I asked,
"What do you mean? He was just promoted three months ago."
Art replied,
"Yes, but he really helped us in this board election, talking to people, getting them to vote for us. We might not have gotten elected without him. Besides, the last board did not appreciate him so because they were so busy taking care of their friends, they forgot about the people like him."
This seemed a bit of a double standard to me. I asked Art,
"Well, aren't you trying to do the same thing, just take care of your friends? Are you telling me that we need to give him a promotion and a raise because he supported us in the election?"
Art dropped the subject but gave me a dirty look and muttered something under his breath about thinking we were all on the same side.
You should know that Phyllis had once worked at Sam's Cafe and had quit in an argument over whether she should get a raise. Phyllis started in next,
"I don't think we should use Sam's Cafe for the food for our events any more. We should give our business to people who support our programs. "
I interrupted her,
"What do you mean? He donated free food for our Parent Night, he donated money $500 in our last fund drive when we were five hundred dollars short."
Phyllis frowned at me and continued,
"Sam doesn't support our community. He doesn't hire our community members."
I argued,
"What do you mean? He has five people working for him."
Phyllis continued, angrily,
"He also doesn't pay above minimum wage. We need businesses that support minimum wage. We should not support his business at all."
Finally, I lost my temper and said,
"Look Phyllis, just because you don't like Sam does not mean we are all going to vote to have him castrated. That isn't what being on a board is about. It's not getting even with people who you disagree with. Yes, you are right that Sam doesn't pay high wages but for some people, they are just happy to have a job. Not everyone has to have the same opinion as you."
And so, it went on and on. What happens to good people who suddenly get in a position of power? A lot of things, there is the old saying "Power corrupts."
Why? In part because these are people who have been on the outside and suddenly they have the chance to get back at the people who they believe have treated them poorly. Some of them, such as Phyllis, truly believe that their 'enemies' are bad, that only paying minimum wage is a bad thing. When these people are not on the board, this is their opinion, and that is all it is. Now, they suddenly have the ability to make their opinion policy.
Here is what they need to think about, yes, you may have that power, but do you have that RIGHT?
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