CharityVillage® Research: How to create a sure-fire committee

Resources & Library

Path: Main Street : Resources & Library : Research Articles : Feature Article

How to create a sure-fire committee
by Bruce Raymond
March 26, 1997; Canadian FundRaiser

Before you settle down to form a committee, whether of volunteers only or of a mixture of staff and volunteers, ask yourself, "Is this committee really necessary?" If the answer is "yes", then ask, "How many people should be on the committee?"
Let's deal with the first question. Often we have a tendency to create a committee in the belief that several heads are better than one, but hat is not always the case. A committee should be formed only when the task at hand is too large for one or two competent people to handle.
If you are designing a brochure and you have a design expert volunteer available, why do you need a committee to do the design? Presumably the finished design will have to be approved by the board of directors, or at least by a paid hand. The input of group-think in the creative process, usually a very subjective activity, is often a deterrent to achieving the best results. We all know about the committee that set out to create a horse and ended up with a camel!
On the other hand, when the brochure design has been approved, a committee may be necessary to turn the design into a finished product. In that case, a committee may be struck of those who are experienced in printing, manufacturing and costing the created brochure.
Only those who can make a genuine contribution
Loading a committee with people just so that you can make them feel that they are contributing something is a bad idea. A committee should never be composed of more people than those who can make a genuine contribution to the matter at hand.
Wherever and whenever possible, a committee should be composed of complementary types. For instance, a finance committee should not be filled with accountants exclusively. Some of the most astute businessmen don't know how to read a balance sheet, but they have other business smarts that may be of great value. Accountants as a general rule have only one viewpoint - the bottom line. But in a non-profit organization, particularly a charity, the bottom line is not always composed of black or red numbers. The bottom line is in the quality of service being offered to the community.
Any volunteer committees should have a chair and a co-chair. Volunteers often have unexpected calls upon their time and energies that prevent them from completing their tasks, even though when they accepted the responsibility of chairing a committee that possibility seemed remote. Work- and family-related problems often intervene. A co-chair should always be on hand to fill in when needed.
Many gatherings unnecessary
Another consideration to be taken into account is the time routines of committee members. Whenever possible, committees should be formed of people who are free to meet at the same time of day, or the same day of the week. Today, judicious use of the fax machine and conference calls can often make many group gatherings unnecessary.
Finally, don't put too many "devil's advocates" on a committee. Some people cover their tracks when making a negative comment by insisting that they are only acting as devil's advocates. Some people don't know how to react except negatively. Avoid them like the plague.
Bruce Raymond has been active as a volunteer leader in the charitable sector, most recently serving as president and then chairman of the Variety Children's Charity. This article is based on material from his forthcoming book, "Seven Golden How-To Rules for Volunteers, or How to get the most out of doing for nothing what you wouldn't do for money". For more information, call (416) 485-3406, or fax (416) 487-3820.