The past twelve months I’ve jumped into a very new experience – serving on a not-for-profit board as a volunteer. I’ve served on lots of boards and committees – local, state-wide, even one national board. But they have always been “work-related.”

Serving on the United Caring Shelter’s board is completely voluntary for me, and I’m learning in a new way what that means. With this next series of posts, I hope to help board members embrace more fully their role and help staff walk a mile in their board members’ shoes.

There’s a saying – “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” And when it comes to being a not-for-profit director, the “main thing” is integrity. It is “True North” for a not-for-profit. But what is integrity?

Harper Lee wrote, in To Kill a Mockingbird, “Before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.”

Sitting in committee and board meetings with UCS, I find that the integrity question is the most important of all – is this action right for the Shelters? If I have a question about a proposal on the table, do I have the courage to ask questions, to seek clarity? Do I help create an environment where others can contribute from their wisdom and experience?

As a director, I must stand for what is right, even if I’m standing alone. As a board of directors, we must stand for what is right; our donors expect that of us. The reputation of our organization as a promoter of social good is all we have – we must guard that at all costs.

Next time, why the mission is everything.