Boosting Teamwork: Strategies for Effective Board Operations

Dear Mary:

I’ve been on our co-op’s board for years and am now the president. I’ve long had the sense that our board doesn’t really function as a team — at least not the kind of teams I’m used to from my corporate job. I think we could get more done, and more effectively, with better teamwork. Any ideas on how to approach this?  

─Teaming in Tudor City

Dear Teaming:

We often use the word “team” very loosely. The teams you’re used to may not function as your board does, in part because they’re a different type of team. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But you need to match any improvement approaches to the situation.  

A likely situation with your board “team” is that you have a couple of directors who do very little, some who take on tasks that interest them, and a handful of major contributors. The road to improvement here is three-fold. Attempt to get more out of the “do nothing” group. (See Getting Slackers to Step Up, April 2021 Habitat). Start cultivating a pipeline of future members willing to take on greater responsibility. (The Board Pitch, March 2023 Habitat). And try to coax “special interest” directors into contributing more broadly or converting to committee members. (Ulterior Motives, December 2023 Habitat.)

But you can also look at establishing the kind of team you may have at work. Here we’re talking about assembling a small subset of directors (ideally 7 or fewer). They should have complementary skills and apply those to a shared goal, for which they will be accountable as a group. At the risk of using corporate jargon, you’re aiming for synergy: a team result that’s greater than the sum of what individuals could do alone.   

How to promote this kind of teamwork? Set the stage for success by putting some key elements in place.

1. Appropriate goals. This isn’t “manage the building” or “keep accounts receivable current.” Rather, goals must be concrete, finite and measurable. They should involve varied and interdependent tasks. And everyone has to be on the same page about scope, target outcomes, and how to measure results. This is likely to be a project; renovating the lobby is a good example.

2. Differential roles. What are the various tasks involved in reaching your goal? What skills, experience and time commitment will you need? For a lobby renovation, you’ll establish and manage a design committee. You may interview decorators, contractors, and project managers — and procure their services. You’ll work with providers, manage the budget, and communicate with residents. Your managing agent and resident manager may be on the team. The key is putting together a group in which everyone contributes something unique to a goal that requires them to work interdependently. (And ensuring that someone manages the team. Probably not you.)

3. Agreed-upon procedures. Team members must agree on how to work together. That includes how and when to meet, communicate, make decisions, resolve issues, update the plan, report progress, etc. It’s a mistake to assume this will happen organically, or that everyone envisions the same approach. Be as explicit as possible.

4. Creating a charter. Teams can boost performance by creating a charter that lays out all of the above. This document can serve as a guidepost for all members. It can help resolve differences and identify gaps in approach. And it can help keep all eyes on the budget and schedule.

Match improvement efforts to the type of team you have. Where appropriate, assemble a small group with complementary skills. Nail down goals, roles and procedures. Write a charter and watch teamwork happen.