Boards

I have sat on Boards and with Boards most of my adult life. All my experience have been with not for profit Boards as no for profit corporation sees me as a suitable candidate for their Board, and I understand that, although I’d love the salary attached.

In an early Board experience, in the late 60’s, I was the youngest member of a not for profit Board and was responsible for their youth program as a volunteer advisor. This was a health related charity which is an unusual role for me as it wasn’t art related.

On that Board was one of the organizational founders, an older man, retired and in maybe his late 60’s or early 70’s, which seemed to me at the time like a very old man, although today I would not use that terminology.

Somewhere during the meeting we could be sure he would start to pontificate about what we did in the old days, and how it used to be. We would all roll our eyes and let him go on until he was through, and then go on with the meeting.

I realize that today, I may be that guy!

I promised myself all those many years ago that I wouldn’t get that way, and now here I am saying stuff like “I’ve been doing this for more than 40 years and…….”

We always were very kind to him and let him speak, although we never listened to what he said. I think people may be doing that to me, however, I have noticed one difference.

He was a very wealthy man, the retired CEO of a major national conglomerate, and every one listened because he funded most of it.

I don’t find myself in the same position…….