recruiting

Strengthening Co-op Elections: How Boards are Ensuring that Members Can Vote for Excellent Candidates

By Michael Healy|2023-05-05T20:05:16-04:00July 18th, 2018|

In her book Democracy’s Edge, Frances Moore Lappe makes a strong case that a healthy democracy is about much more than elections and voting. Even so, board elections are still a particularly important and visible part of cooperative governance. A successful board election includes at least two critical elements: enough qualified candidates on the ballot and enough information so that members can make educated [...]

Video Field Guide: The Always Appoint Principle

By Mark Goehring|2023-05-05T20:06:35-04:00July 27th, 2015|

Nominating Board Candidates

By Joel Kopischke|2023-05-05T20:06:54-04:00May 25th, 2015|

“Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.” -- Thomas Jefferson “You have to remember one thing about the will of the people: it wasn't that long ago that we were swept away by the Macarena.” -- Jon Stewart Why screen and nominate? Screening and nominating candidates makes sense. More and more, co-op boards are recognizing that finding [...]

Great Idea: Get a Head Start on the Nominations Process

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:30:29-04:00March 2nd, 2014|

The nominations committee of the Friendly City Food Co-op in Harrisonburg, Va. has been meeting since January to get a head start on the board nominations process. In addition to finding excellent candidates and improving the voting process, the co-op also wants to ensure it has contested elections. “Each year we are trying to be more proactive,” said Laura Toni-Holsinger, the board president. “I [...]

Great Idea: Process for Replacing a Board Member

By Rose Marie Klee|2023-05-05T20:30:58-04:00October 2nd, 2013|

There’s always the possibility of a vacancy on the board, and sometimes it’s a planned event, and at other times it’s unexpected. In either case, it’s important to have a backup plan or a process for replacing people if necessary. This was something the board of Wheatsville Food Co-op in Austin, Texas, learned when they were faced with three vacancies, one that was expected, [...]

Be the Best You Can Be—Quicker

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:08:52-04:00May 2nd, 2012|

By Nina Johnson 160 May - June - 2012 You know the feeling: you walk into your first meeting, you don’t know anyone, you’re not sure what to say or do, and everyone but you seems to know what’s going on. That’s how it can feel for a newly elected board director who has had no orientation, and this feeling can last for months. [...]

Elections

By Michael Healy|2023-05-05T20:33:39-04:00November 1st, 2011|

Was your last Board election a thoughtful exercise in democracy in which members chose a well-qualified set of directors that add value to the Board and to the co-op? More than anyone else in the cooperative, the Board itself is responsible for ensuring that the answer to this question is “Yes!” Elections should be neither mundane nor contentious, but should honor and reinforce the [...]

Cultivate Board Candidates through Ongoing Recruitment

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:34:52-04:00April 2nd, 2011|

Here’s an uncomfortably familiar scenario. In the time leading up to board elections, directors are scrambling to find people to run for the board. A bit of panic ensues: Will there be enough interest from the membership? Will the candidates that run be qualified? Has there been enough time to ensure candidates know what being on the board is all about? Does the board [...]

Perpetuating a Strong Board

By Michael Healy|2023-05-05T20:21:59-04:00July 22nd, 2009|

A director should be equally as concerned with the future of the governance of their co-op as they are with the issues of the present day. Recruitment and orientation of new directors is the role of all board members, all year long. This Online Recorded Workshop gives thorough walk-through of the processes, and high-level thinking required for healthy board recruitment. [...]

Recruitment is an Active Process

By Marilyn Scholl|2023-05-05T20:22:16-04:00July 22nd, 2008|

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