This document discusses achieving multi-generational boards. It defines the generational mix currently on boards, explores reasons for age disparity, and provides solutions for recruiting, orienting, and leveraging the talents of different generations. Reasons to have a multi-generational board include bringing new perspectives and ideas, creating opportunities for more voices, and leveraging technology skills. The document outlines values and goals of different generations (Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y) and provides recommendations for mindset, recruiting, orientation, and engaging board members of all ages.

1. A Place for All Ages: Why and How to
Achieve Multi-Generational Boards
Sherri Petro
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Sherri Petro
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4. A Place for All Ages
Why and How to Achieve Multi-Generational Boards
Sherri Petro 2011

5. Our Objectives
♦ Define the generational mix
♦ Discover the reasons behind board
age disparity
♦ Learn what you can do to recruit,
orient and leverage the talents and
styles of board members of each
generation.
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6. The Generation Mix In 2011
♦ Traditionalists ♦ Generation X
– Born 1925-45 – Born 1965-80
– 66-86 years – 31-46 years
♦ Baby Boomers ♦ Generation Y
– Born 1946-64 – Born 1981-?
– 47-65 years – Under 31
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7. The Norm – BoardSource
Nonprofit Governance Index 2010
Gen Y
Age
Under 30
0%
30-39
65+ 7% Gen X (sort of)
Traditionalists
23%
40-49
20%
50-64
50%
Baby Boomers
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8. Board Behaviors
Related to Diversity and Inclusion
Reached consensus about value/benefits of
expanding board diversity
Not done Great extent
26% 20%
Small extent Some extent
21% 33%
2010 BoardSource NP Governance Index
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9. Board Behaviors
Related to Diversity and Inclusion
Developed an inclusive culture and board dynamics
Great extent
Not done 15%
26%
Some extent
Small extent 34%
25%
2010 BoardSource NP Governance Index
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10. 5 Reasons You Might Want
Multiple Generations On The Board
1. Energy - They can assist you in becoming the “anti-
bored board”
2. New perspective and ideas - Questioning the value
of the old way of doing things
3. You create the opportunity for more voices to be
heard and develop a lively dialogue
4. They can teach you how to value and be more
efficient with technology like BoardEffect®
5. Your board may be the only one they are on!
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11. Why Are We Not Recruiting
Younger Board Members?
♦ Tendency to recruit others like ourselves
♦ Skepticism as to whether you need
generational diversity
♦ Preference for professional experience
♦ The “one-and-only” concern
♦ Misperception about their commitment
♦ Not making the value proposition clear
♦ We don’t understand them
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12. Why Are Younger Board
Members Not Joining?
♦ Perceive that board service is not
accessible
♦ They think they are not qualified
♦ They are not being scouted, recruited like
any other board member would be and
asked to join
♦ “Hands-on” is not included in the board
member job description
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13. And It All Comes Down to This….
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14. Traditionalists’ Values
♦ Respect for authority
♦ Loyal
♦ Practicality
♦ Experience
Their goal is to build a legacy
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15. Baby Boomers’ Values
♦ Process
♦ Team work and collaboration
♦ Strong work ethic
♦ Optimism and idealism
♦ Work/life balance (which they struggle with
mightily)
Their goal is to put their stamp on things
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16. Generation X Values
♦ Results and ♦ Direct
outcomes communication
♦ Solve their own ♦ Healthy skepticism
problems ♦ Informality
♦ Multi-tasking ♦ Work smart
Their goal is maintaining independence
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17. Generation Y Values
♦ Technology ♦ Mutual respect
♦ Working on their ♦ Collaboration
own terms ♦ Community
♦ Happiness ♦ Meaningful work
♦ Interactivity ♦ Acknowledgement
♦ Experience ♦ Expression
Their goal is to create a happy life that has meaning
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18. Generational Similarities
♦ We have
– A desire to learn
– A desire to be acknowledged
– A desire to be rewarded
♦ We want
– To be trusted, valued and respected
– To succeed
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19. The Shadow
The ED/Board generational challenge
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20. What We Can Expect From
Younger Board Members
♦ More movement in and out of boards by
younger board members
♦ More questions that we need to take
seriously
♦ More efficient meetings
♦ More evidence of good work
♦ More requests for hands-on work
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21. Solutions: Mind Set
♦ Expand your mental model. Stop thinking that
everyone thinks like you
♦ Educate on the value of each generation from
research -- not opinion
♦ Make a commitment to age diversity
♦ Get out of your own way when thinking about
candidates. Look for those that think and are
different!
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22. Solutions: Recruiting
√ Have a plan
√ Be clear on what each generation values
√ Use generations/age on your board recruiting matrix
√ Match generational motivation to the recruiting message,
use the language each generation resonates with
√ Go to organizations where the younger generations are
√ Look for businesses that encourage volunteering on
company time, leadership development and Corporate
Social Responsibility
√ Have a board job description & clear expectations
√ Be the board ambassador/evangelist
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23. Solutions: Orientation
♦ Provide a “board buddy” for better board
onboarding (say that 3 times!)
♦ Be prepared so the new board member can
hit the ground running
♦ Have a board manual
♦ Don’t limit participation when new board
members are choosing their committees
♦ Don’t use a boring PPT like this one…
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24. Solutions: On the Board
♦ Recognize there may be conflicts due to
differences in generational motivation
– Traditionalists - legacy
– BB – process
– Gen X – results
– Gen Y – experience
♦ Treat each board member as equal
♦ Do NOT diminish an opinion based on age
♦ Value all kinds of experience
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25. Questions to Ponder for the Board
♦ How does the size of your board fit in?
♦ Should you create a junior board to groom
future board members?
♦ What will you do since the younger
generations are serial daters?
♦ How are you going to educate your board
on this subject? 
– Hint: See the last slide!
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26. Questions to Ask
Younger Candidates
♦ What excites you most about joining us?
♦ What would a successful experience on this
board look like for you?
♦ How would you like to offer your talents/skills?
♦ What will it take to engage you?
♦ What is the tomorrow problem you see for us
that we should start thinking about today?
♦ What do you think motivates our current board
members?
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27. Thank You!
Download VPI’s
From Jitterbug to Twitter
generational white paper for
NPs at www.vpistrategies.com
Contact Sherri Petro for more
information
sherri@vpistrategies.com
858-583-3097
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28. Find listings for our current season
of webinars and register at:
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