If You’re the Only One Doing the Work, You Don’t Have a Board, You Have a Problem
You know the feeling.
You're chasing deadlines, writing grants, planning events, managing volunteers, and barely sleeping, while your board shows up to meetings empty-handed, silent, or full of vague promises.
It’s exhausting.
It isn’t very encouraging.
And it’s not your fault, but it's your responsibility to rectify the situation.
I used to think I just had the wrong people. I blamed their schedules, their personalities, even their lack of nonprofit experience.
But the truth?
I didn’t give them structure. I didn’t give them directions.
I hadn’t built a system that turned board members into doers.
Once I did, everything changed.
They started showing up, following through, and helping me carry the weight.
And that system, that process, is what I now teach others.
If you want a board that works, shows up, and takes action, you don’t motivate them with speeches. You build them with structure.
Here are the 8 non-negotiable steps you must take to transform your board and why skipping any of them keeps you stuck doing everything yourself.
Step 1: Run a Board Audit and Self-Evaluation — Because You Need the Truth, Not Assumptions
You can’t transform what you don’t understand.
You need a comprehensive audit of who is actually contributing, who is showing up, who is coasting, and where the gaps in commitment lie.
Pair this with a board self-evaluation, a tool that helps each member reflect on their engagement, strengths, and areas for growth.
If you skip this step, you’ll keep assigning tasks to people who were never committed in the first place.
Tool You Need: Board Audit Form + Self-Evaluation Survey
Step 2: Fill the Gaps — Because You Can’t Build on Dead Weight
If the audit shows that some people need to step down, let them.
It’s not personal. It’s necessary. Dead weight kills momentum.
You must open the door for new board members who bring what’s missing: time, skills, energy, or networks.
If you skip this step, you’ll continue to drag along people who don’t want to be there, and the ones who do will burn out.
Tool You Need: Exit Email Template + New Recruitment Template + Materials
Step 3: Run a Strategic + Organizational Development Session — Because Alignment Creates Action
Your board cannot act on what they don’t understand. When you bring them together for a strategic session:
They see the big picture
They understand the stakes
They help shape the direction
And most importantly, they see where they fit in
If you skip this step, your board will stay in the dark, unclear, uninspired, and uncommitted.
Tool You Need: Strategic Planning Session Template + Mission Alignment Guide + Facilitation Script
Step 4: Delegate Responsibilities — Because Without Ownership, There’s No Engagement
Once the plan is clear, assign roles and responsibilities. Not just titles, tasks.
You must delegate based on:
- Strengths
- Passion
- Availability
- Organizational need
Let them choose but hold them to it.
If you skip this step, your board will nod in meetings but never lift a finger.
Tool You Need: Delegation Template + Responsibility Matching Tool
Step 5: Equip and Empower — Because Assigning Isn’t the Same as Enabling
You can’t just give them responsibilities and disappear.
You need to equip them.
That means:
- Clear how-to guides
- Templates for what they’re responsible for
- Short training
- Support and encouragement
- Sometimes, even pairing them with volunteers to assist
If you skip this step, your board will flounder. Even good people will underperform when they feel unprepared.
Tool You Need: Board Training Toolkit + Quick-Start Guides
Step 6: Set Up Accountability Systems — Because Follow-Up Is What Drives Follow-Through
You need a structure that tracks what gets done and what doesn’t. This could include:
- Monthly board reports
- A dashboard of commitments
- A Board Development Committee responsible for check-ins
- Public progress updates at meetings
Accountability isn’t harsh, it’s healthy.
If you skip this step, your board will slide right back into silence.
Tool You Need: Board Accountability Tracker + Committee Formation Blueprint
Step 7: Reward, Address, and Celebrate — Because Culture Is Built, Not Hoped For
You want people to take initiative? Start by recognizing those who do.
And when someone doesn’t follow through, don’t ignore it. Address it privately and firmly, based on the expectations you’ve already set.
Most importantly, celebrate wins. Small or big. Personal or collective. Celebration creates momentum.
If you skip this step, your board won’t feel seen — and invisible effort eventually dies.
Tool You Need: Board Recognition Templates + Reward Menu + Accountability Scripts
Step 8: Lead by Example — Because Nothing Speaks Louder Than Action
Your board will not become doers if they don’t see you doing.
- Model what follow-through looks like.
- Be consistent, clear, and proactive.
- Show them what commitment to the mission looks like in real time.
Founders don’t just build organizations. We model what leadership looks like.
If you skip this step, your board won’t follow because there’s no one to follow.
- You Can’t Skip Steps and Expect Results
- This is not about motivation.
- This is about structure, clarity, and culture.
If you’ve been doing everything alone, it’s not because you’re a bad leader.
It’s because no one showed you how to build your board the right way.
But now you know.
And you can change it, starting today.
The Board Ultimate Fix Is Your Way Out
✔️ You don’t need a consultant.
✔️ You don’t need to spend thousands.
✔️ You don’t need more trial and error.
You need a step-by-step system with the exact tools and templates to execute every one of these 8 steps without the stress or the guesswork.
That’s exactly what The Board Ultimate Fix gives you. For just \$99, you get:
Every tool, tracker, and script mentioned in this post, the exact process I’ve used to help founders turn their boards around
Lifetime access, so you can return to the system anytime your board needs a tune-up
The confidence to lead your board like a true executive, one they respect, follow, and support
You can build a board that works.
You can stop carrying the whole mission alone.
You can become the kind of leader whose board members say, “Let’s get it done.”
Grab The Board Ultimate Fix and start leading a board that actually does the work.
Learn More About the Ultimate Board Fix
