Most new directors tell us they feel lost for the first six months to a year. Why? Inadequate orientation. Getting off on such a bad foot is a major contributor to director turnover. Director turnover makes moving forward to added-value governance challenging.

The irony is that as vital as new director orientation has proven to be, it is often the last area of attention in governing board development.

There are two components to effective new member orientation:

• Learning your proper role
• Understanding the operation you are responsible for

To understand the operation you are responsible for, download On Understanding Operations and follow the steps described therein.

Designing an Orientation

Be sure that new member orientation is strengthened by developing clear policy on what should be contained in new member orientation and who should be responsible. If you are at the point where you are beginning to design new member orientation, consider assigning this task to a committee.

In designing an orientation program, ask recently elected or appointed directors to tell you what they would have liked to have known that would have made a real difference in their level of satisfaction and learning curve. Consult the BoardGrowth™ tool the Orientation Checklist for items to be included in a solid New Member Orientation.

A Note to New Members

If you are a new board member, BoardGrowth™ has a group of tools and articles specifically tailored to your needs. Sign in as a member and click on New Board Member under the Roles section to find the materials that best meet your needs.

Ultimately, Who is Responsible?

Our philosophy is that new member orientation is the responsibility of the Chair. H/she can delegate sections, but in the end, the Chair is responsible to assure that new members come to the board table empowered to add value and not hold the group or management back with questions that should have been answered in a sound orientation program.

A word to Chairs and CEOs, the energy you put into new member orientation will pay huge dividends.