Creating a board without borders; five tips for working with an internationally diverse board.

I spent Thanksgiving 2003 at a meeting of a Central American network of nonprofit trainers. I didn't mean to celebrate this most American of holidays in El Salvador, and the meeting's organizers didn't mean for me to, either. But because the last Thursday of November is not a national holiday for them, they didn't realize it might be problematic for me.

An internationally diverse board opens your association up to perspectives from volunteers as far-flung as your membership. However, it also requires you to take into account a whole world of differences, from national and religious holidays to language and politics. Here are five tips for U.S.-based associations to get the benefits of a global board without risking an international incident:

1. Make expectations clear up front. Prospective board members whose roots are outside the United States may have radically different assumptions about what it means to serve on the board of a civil society (or nonprofit organization). Before you sign up new board members, make sure everyone shares a common purpose and understands your association's mission and board members' roles and responsibilities. Cover these important points in writing, distribute a board member job description, and provide a new-member orientation with time for questions.

2. Do your homework, communicate openly, and coordinate meetings with sensitivity. Whenever possible, invest in business-travel guidebooks that cover particular countries' customs. Then ask your international board members about special requirements, including dietary needs or help with translation. To avoid scheduling conflicts with national or religious holidays, find reference books or Web sites that track different cultures' important days. Again, ask board members about dates to avoid.

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Because of cultural differences, a code of conduct for meetings is especially important. Ground rules to cover include starting and ending on time, breaking for lunch at a culturally appropriate time (in Central America lunch is often from 2 to 4 p.m.), and whether smoking is allowed. This last point has come up in meetings I've had with Egyptians, Central Europeans, and Mexicans; most of the rest of the world does not share the United States' stringent antismoking laws.

To keep travel costs and conflicts down without sacrificing productivity, consider holding board meetings less frequently and getting more work done in committees, given that it's easier to convene smaller groups. Also consider virtual meetings via Web conferencing or phone. Just keep time differences in mind.

Finally, when e-mail or Web-based communication won't do, send out meeting agendas and materials well in advance because mailing to a foreign country typically takes longer.

3. Research applicable laws. If you're setting up a new board or starting to increase your international outreach, you need legal counsel with knowledge that goes beyond your own borders. For example, where your organization is registered has many ramifications--financial, political, and legal. Many organizations that operate internationally register in the United States or Europe to qualify for American or European Union funding opportunities (from government agencies, private foundations, and individual donors). If your organization is going to be registered in another country, it is essential that you consult with local legal counsel familiar with regulations there.

As another example, several countries, such as Costa Rica, are required by law to have government officials sit on any organization's board. This may cause a conflict of interest for, say, a human rights organization that wishes to be autonomous from the government.

4. Conduct a review of board policies. Following are two important areas to consider:

* Your association's coverage of travel and communication costs. If participation from people in developing countries is important but board members always pay their own way to meetings, you may want to reconsider the policy.

* International board members' financial ability to give and get. Broad differences exist in currency exchanges rates, salaries, and attitudes about philanthropy. In light of these differences, you may want to rethink minimum board member contribution levels or membership dues and any requirements that members help raise funds.

5. Actively seek diversity. I am a member of an international development association that prides itself on representing its diverse members in the boardroom. When this association sends out its annual ballot, it not only sends candidate bios but also a statement about qualities of an ideal board (e.g., geographically and ethnically diverse and having different professional skill sets and experiences).

To guarantee geographic diversity, some organizations have their regions elect or appoint representatives to the board. This helps ensure that the candidates have legitimacy within their regions. But it may cause problems if, for example, board members feel they have been elected to represent their geographic constituency rather than work as part of the board team. An alternative is to form task forces or committees that are intentionally cross-regional.

Obviously, gaining a global perspective isn't always easy, and it doesn't mean the same thing for every board. Focus on overcoming barriers that could prevent success. Sometimes this is as simple as allowing time for board members to get to know each other outside of meetings. By fostering a spirit of camaraderie, your board and your association will gain expertise that crosses all boundaries.

Kate Pearson is the global program director for BoardSource, Washington, D.C. E-mail: [e-mail].