The Parable of the Sticks: How Boards Work Together for the Nonprofit’s Mission

Kentucky’s state motto, “United we stand; Divided we fall” is illustrated by the Parable of the Sticks. So, it goes that a father on his deathbed showed his children a bundle of sticks and asked them to try to snap the bundle in half. Each child tried, and each child failed. Then the father asked them to untie the bundle and try to break a single stick. The children broke the individual sticks easily. The moral was clear—the children are stronger together than apart. Instead of explaining his point, the father simply said, “You see my meaning.” The meaning is apparent for nonprofit boards, as well. The organization is better when the board works together to communicate the mission, advocate for the mission, and demonstrate the mission of the nonprofit.

 Communicate the Mission

First, directors put their influence to work when they communicate the mission of the organization clearly to others. Here, we come back to the first responsibility of a board member—maintaining missional focus. When the mission is focused, the board member is free to communicate that mission with clarity to potential donors, partners, and persons the organization may serve. Here, the director does more than clarify the mission, she becomes an evangelist for the mission—using her influence to spread the word about the organization within her sphere of influence and use that influence to help the organization fulfill its mission. Because every director has a different sphere of influence, when the Board challenges itself to actively communicate the mission within each director’s sphere, the organization’s effectiveness can be multiplied. Together, the directors multiply their influence as they communicate throughout each director’s sphere of influence.

Advocate for the Mission

Second, not only can directors put their influence to work by communicating the mission within their spheres of influence, but directors can be critical in advocating for the mission of the nonprofit. When there are public policy changes that could advance or threaten a nonprofit’s mission, the nonprofit cannot afford to have its directors sit idly by. Instead, directors use their influence to ensure that policymakers—at all levels—understand the impact of their decisions on the mission of the nonprofit and the community. Policymakers need information and education from community leaders and constituents to make effective decisions and when that information comes from the combined voices of a nonprofit’s various directors—rather than a paid lobbyist or even nonprofit staff—that information often carries more weight and may, in fact, carry the day.

Demonstrate Commitment to the Mission

Third, the directors communicate the mission to their spheres of influence, advocate for the mission with policymakers and others who can assist the organization, and, finally, directors demonstrate their own commitment to the mission. This commitment takes the form of getting involved as a volunteer in programs that fulfill the mission and/or donating financially to the nonprofit organization. As almost every nonprofit knows, for the board to be fully engaged, it is important for directors to have skin in the game—otherwise, how can a director ever ask a person in her sphere of influence to get involved financially or personally in the organization. 

When it comes to a board member’s financial contribution, it is important to note that the amount of the contribution is not as important as the gift itself—the key is to strive for 100% financial participation by the board in the funding of the organization. Recent studies by Board Source indicate that only 49% of nonprofit boards reach the 100% threshold, but it’s still worth striving for!

This is the seventh and final blog in a series on Responsibilities of Board Members in Nonprofit Organizations, you can check out the first blog about Maintaining Missional Focus by clicking HERE

 For more information about how Reynolds Law Group, PLLC can serve as the outside counsel for your nonprofit organization, give us a call at 757.219.2500 to set up an appointment with one of our attorneys.