date of ratification by board
Skill, time, and commitment—all three are needed to be a PFF board member. Serving on a board is definitely time and energy consuming. Yet, as is the case in may efforts that are worhtwhile, "no one is in it for the money". Board service can be a rewarding experience.
You and your board are policy makers. As a director, you have been charged with seeing that the club is well managed. No single person is a board. Authority belongs to the board as a whole, not to individual members. Outside of official meetings a board member has no authority over club policies and no individual member may commit the group. PFF does not take positions as a club except as authorized by the board of directors. On issues which it considers controversial, the board may choose to poll the membership.
It cannot be over-emphasized that your board works as a team. The board should take action only after proposals have been thoroughly considered by all and a group decision has been made. PFF board meetings provide a forum for discussion and serious deliberation. Discussion at these meetings should represent the best thinking of the group. Each board member has unique interests, talents, and background; so has therefore a unique contribution to make. When differences of opinion arise, members should respect each other's viewpoints; various perceptions result from various backgrounmds and experiences. PFF policy is to prevent these differences from deteriorating into heated debate or personal attacks.
Being a board member is a growth experience that involves learning to be a member of a team. Here are some recommended practices.
The board is required by theory and by good practice to devote a major portion of its efforts to policy development and to see that adopted policies work effectively.
A policy is a guide for discretionary action. It must be narrow enough to give clear guidance to the officers or committees, but broad enough to allow use of discretion in meeting the circumstances of individual cases. Boards adopt policies.
Only the board as a body can make policy. The individual board members will have to persuade, compromise, balance and harmonize ponts of view. Board actions must adhere to PFF by-laws.