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Have you ever hired someone as an employee or a board member just to realize they are not a good fit? This is a typical dilemma for many social leaders. Luckily, there’s a solution: “date before marriage”.

What do I Mean by “Date Before Marriage”?

Before you commit, get to know people through temporary projects. This allows you to see how they align with your organization’s culture. Leaders usually put people in permanent roles based on their experience or skills. Although these are important, cultural fit is crucial.

People in an organization should have different minds but the same heart.

A Leader of a Non-Profit in Africa

Working with people prior to commitment allows you to see if they fit. How do they behave in times of stress? Do they act according to your organization’s values? Do they share the group’s heart?

How can You “Date Before Marriage”?

Social leaders have plenty of opportunities! Having volunteers is normal for you. So, take advantage of this to create various “dating” possibilities.

Committees – every non-profit has committees outside their Board of Directors (planning, financial, fundraising, etc.). Many are temporary. These committees add a lot of value yet don’t have the fiduciary burden of the Board. So, they are a great space to try out possible Board members.

Special Project Teams – short-term projects are a great way to see people in action. Need a new website? Must update your Emergency Plan? You can ask potential employees or partners to collaborate as either volunteers or paid consultants.

Advisory Boards – advisory boards provide non-binding advice within a group context. This is a terrific space to place a candidate board member or subject-matter expert you might consider hiring later.

Internships – you can have paid or unpaid temporary internship opportunities for potential future employees. These can be especially useful for people in the early stages of their career. A good example is the Americorps Vista program.

Use “Date Before Marriage” for your Recruiting Pipeline

Finding the best employees and board members can be tough. Succession planning is a constant challenge. So, be strategic about your recruiting pipeline. Keep adding potential candidates into your “dating” pool and have a process to ascertain their cultural fit. Make your team a part of the process so they can also identify candidates within your volunteer base.

“Date before marriage” can help you foster a healthy working environment and a robust organizational culture. Please try it out and let me know how it goes!

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