As a business leader, you’re already expected to wear many hats. And for many professionals, sooner or later, one of your hats will likely say “volunteer” across the brim. You already know that volunteering can be a great way to give back to your community and the causes you care deeply about. But it can also be a really big responsibility, especially if you’re asked to sit on the board.

As the principal and founder of The Benefactor Group, Laura MacDonald is committed to working with nonprofits, donors, and civic leaders of all sizes. She knows all about the challenges these organizations face when trying to find an ideal candidate to join their boards, which is why she encourages all volunteers to take the time to consider what exactly is being asked of them before committing to such a major responsibility. To help you reach a well-informed decision that will result in years of fulfilling philanthropy, Laura is going to explain what you should do when you’re asked to join a board.

What to Ask When You’re Asked to Volunteer

If you are asked to join a board, you should start by asking yourself a few questions: Why am I interested in serving on this board? Do I care about the mission of the organization? Do I like or admire the other board members? There are also fringe benefits to joining an organization’s board, such as professional networking or development, but those shouldn’t be your main reasons for volunteering with an organization – you and the organization will both get more out of your time if you care about the cause and are interested in working with the people already serving in the organization.

If you are currently volunteering or are considering doing it in the future (and if you haven’t, you really should consider it), you will be interested in these other topics discussed in this episode:

• Setting expectations: time, talent, treasure, and testimony
• What policy governances are and how it is different from uber-management
• How to get the most from the experience of giving back

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