Bringing an outsider onto your board provides a fresh perspective, one that the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has benefited enormously from since making the move, says CEO Karen Hackett, FACHE, FASAE, CAE.

Hackett has seen firsthand the positive contributions that non-surgeon board members have made at AAOS during her 13-year tenure. They offer expertise in fields not represented on a board otherwise composed solely of medical professionals, and they help academy leaders identify areas for improvement, she says.

But is cultivating that outside viewpoint the right move for your organization? And how do you best go about adding a lay member? Hackett offers her experience and a few thoughts for association leaders considering making room for a board member representing the broader public.

I think it sends the right message, that we are broader thinkers, that we want that outside perspective.—Karen Hackett, FACHE, FASAE, CAE, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Benefitting From Fresh Eyes

Along with private-sector acumen, the outsider member offers a patient's perspective to the AAOS board, Hackett says. Here's how the organization has leveraged outside perspectives:

• Often the person in the lay position is a valuable addition to project teams looking at strategic planning or revenue enhancement, where private-sector experience helps. That's been true at AAOS: "Everything that we do, because we're running the business of the academy, it isn't all clinical. They're able to add value into that discussion," Hackett says.
• Outsiders often can spot areas for growth or improvement that otherwise go overlooked. AAOS has "really made a big push into the quality arena of late," based on input from lay board members, she says.
• Outsider board members are in a unique position to recognize when things are running smoothly. Hackett says leaders at AAOS welcome the validation that comes with a positive assessment from a board member outside of the orthopaedic surgery community.
• A lay member forces a board dominated by experts in a single field to look at developments the way outsiders do. They can examine an issue, propose a response, and say from experience that "the public will expect you to do that," Hackett says.

How to Add a New Voice

Creating a new seat on the board, particularly for someone outside of the profession or industry, does not happen overnight, Hackett says. Here are her tips for getting started:

Work with your existing board. Board leadership must agree the move is in the organization's best interest, and bylaws will likely need changing. "The CEO can champion this, but they can't champion this alone," Hackett says.

Determine the new position's parameters. At AAOS, the lay member has an initial two-year term with an option for renewal for a second term if all parties are willing.

Identify the qualifications needed for the position. AAOS is a $60 million-a-year organization, Hackett says, so they search for candidates with business experience. Their first lay member was a banker, for example. No matter what the background, "we’re really looking for someone who is a more seasoned professional."

Involve members in recruitment. At AAOS, the president sends a letter to the academy's fellows calling for candidates. "We reach out to our members and ask who do they know that might be interested?" Hackett says.

Provide onboarding support. Lay people joining the AAOS board undergo orientation like all new board members. But the field of orthopaedic surgery is complicated, and learning how an association works can prove daunting, Hackett says. Make time to meet with the new member personally. "I spend some one-on-one time with them so they can always ask any questions that they might not want to ask in a larger setting," she says.

She adds that incorporating a board member unaffiliated with an association's profession or industry signals to members and staff that the board is embracing outside-the-box thinking.

"It is something worth looking at," Hackett says. "I think it sends the right message, that we are broader thinkers, that we want that outside perspective."