Making the move from trustee to chair

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The move from a supporting role to a leading one can be a scary one but also an exciting opportunity. Jim Squire from Key Changes Music Therapy shares his story. 

I’m the Chair of Trustees at Key Changes Music Therapy, a small charity promoting positive mental health and wellbeing through music. I’ve been part of Key Changes for over two years and have been a trustee of two other charities. The role of chair is first and foremost, a privilege - and it is fun!

I fully embraced the opportunity to move from a supporting role to a leading role. I saw it as a great opportunity to develop new skills, build a new team, set a new strategic direction and become part of a wonderful, uplifting and impactful enterprise. 

The difference between a trustee and a chair

A good trustee brings their specific expertise and experiences to bear in a purposeful way, and acts in the best interests of the organisation - irrespective of their personal views. They do what needs doing in a timely way, act as advocates for the work of the charity and help raise its profile. 

A key difference between being a trustee and a chair is the focus on bringing the right skills and experiences together to make robust decisions. Also, providing an environment with clear purpose and direction where the team feel they can bring their advice and experiences.

a chair needs to be decisive, collegiate in understanding risks and options, and create an environment in which the team can flourish and make best use of all the skills at its disposal

In addition to this, a chair needs to be decisive, collegiate in understanding risks and options, and create an environment in which the team can flourish and make best use of all the skills at its disposal. You will not be frightened of taking considered risks and making some difficult decisions.

You have to be prepared to not always know what’s the best course of action; but with the right team around you, most things can be dealt with and progress can always be made. Whether you’re a chair or a trustee, if you’ve seen similar things in previous roles, you’ve got to remember to consider the context in which you operate, and the immediate circumstances that have created the challenges. 

The challenges of being chair

I work full-time so the main challenge is balancing a paid job, home life and non-executive responsibilities. Enthusiasm can also sometimes lead to a blurred line between formal duties and being more of a volunteer helping out with day-to-day activities. 

I would say that it can be a challenge to reassure yourself that you have enough understanding of the constitutional and legal obligations related to the role and to being a trustee. Understanding comes with time and experience, and working in several charities will give you a range of perspectives and interpretations of some quite complex requirements.

Being chair is a natural step if you’re well-inclined to strategic leadership, particularly after being a trustee. 

Being chair is a natural step if you’re well-inclined to strategic leadership, particularly after being a trustee. On reflection, it has also been really helpful to have other charity roles under my belt before becoming chair. 

My last piece of advice to anyone thinking about becoming a trustee is to go for it, give it a try. If you’re nervous, be a volunteer first and offer to help the board with something; they’ll never refuse the offer of more help! I used Reach to find volunteers for previous charities that I worked with so when I was seeking a new challenge, it was a natural starting point and indeed, the place where I found my current role. So don’t wait, sign up and get started

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