{"id":2385,"date":"2014-10-28T23:00:44","date_gmt":"2014-10-29T03:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/fieldnotes\/?p=2385"},"modified":"2014-11-11T10:01:29","modified_gmt":"2014-11-11T15:01:29","slug":"do-you-need-the-matrix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/fieldnotes\/2014\/10\/do-you-need-the-matrix\/","title":{"rendered":"Do you need the matrix?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

The Audit Committee will see you now.<\/p><\/div>\n

What is<\/em> a board matrix?<\/strong> A board matrix (composition grid, etc.) for the governing board of a nonprofit organization is a tool that methodically attempts to first inventory the needs of an organization at board level, then the alignment between these needs and both current and potential board members. These needs can include skills & competencies, intrinsic qualities (race\/ethnicity, gender, age, residence, sexual orientation), resources, networks or anything the organization values. Matrices range wildly in complexity, from simple<\/a> to detailed.<\/a> Neither approach is inherently superior or more sophisticated: a board matrix should be scaled to the qualities of the organization and its board: size, complexity and resources.<\/p>\n

When is it time to use a board matrix? <\/strong>A good time is when you are evaluating your serving board, analyzing your board\u2019s alignment with your current strategy (or a new one) or recruiting new board members. And yes, you should always be doing all of these.<\/p>\n

Do I even need a board matrix? <\/strong>Jan Masaoka, publisher of Blue Avocado<\/em> and CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits<\/a>, argues \u201cNo\u201d (worth reading in its entirety) and makes some excellent points in doing so:<\/p>\n

\u2026board composition matrices focus our attention
\n<\/em>on what people are, rather than on what the
\n<\/em>organization needs board members to do\u2026
\nInstead: <\/em>focus on actions needed.<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

This is a critical distinction. It also encourages the board to rigorously consider what the organization\u2019s needs\u00a0actually are \u2013 and that they shift\u00a0over time. They are unique to each organization; there is no universal list\u00a0appropriate for all organizations. Unfortunately, the rate of change in\u00a0the organization\u2019s needs and the rate of\u00a0change in board composition are unlikely to be neatly aligned.<\/p>\n

Other points are less convincing:<\/p>\n

Nearly all boards feel weighed down by demographic diversity
\nimperatives\u2026too often we end up with someone who lets us check the
\ndemographic box but never becomes engaged.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

This is a good point, as far as it goes. While important to focus on actions needed, your board also needs to reflect the community it seeks to serve \u2013 a job that many boards can do better. This is an intrinsic good, although one with complex effects on a board\u2019s ability to make decisions. There are many categories of diversity and the ones aren\u2019t readily seen are just as important as those that are.<\/p>\n

Categories and Types of Diversity<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Social-category differences<\/em><\/p>\n