Volunteering seems a pastime of many, whether committed to a particular cause or perhaps as seniors wanting to donate time to favourite organizations. In her very readable and well organized book, Doreen Pendgracs walks readers through the pleasures of volunteer boards as well as some of the pitfalls of serving on them Her book covers matters that might occur on small boards or larger ones and includes information on matters like fiscal responsibility and how to deal with sensitive issues that could arise/ Pendgracs has thoroughly researched the topic and offers advice to potential board members in a very objective fashion. This book is a must read for people who are currently volunteering or are considering doing so in the future

A new and invaluable resource to help anyone in the not-for-profit sector. Before You Say Yes: A Guide to the Pleasures and Pitfalls of Volunteer Boards, by Doreen Pendgracs of Matlock, Manitoba is an easy to read, practical, and insightful look into so many issues relevant to not-for-profit boards. The book contains innumerable practical resources, and delves into issues as diverse as directors and officers insurance, disaster planning, fiduciary responsibilities, ethical decision making, individual compatibility with boards, financial obligations and compensation, and dealing with difficult people, as well as many other issues.

I truly love "Before you Say Yes"! With the upcoming Toastmasters season quickly approaching along with my Presidency role, this book is helping me to become an exceptional leader. The first few pages immediately captured my interest by "hanging your hat at the door". The many times I was on a board, it was a show of intelligence, education, and know how. Immediately, I felt connected to the author and that she obviously has experience in volunteering and whatever she was going to share in the upcoming pages would be accurate.
I would not limit this book to anybody just on a board, but anyone who is a VOLUNTEER, PLANS EVENTS, or ON A COMMITTEE.
The book is quick, easy to read, easy to comprehend, and main points are in list form. I read the book over a month ago and still have the information retained in my mind. I find that some books you have your "aha" moment while you read it and then forget... not the case with "Before You Say Yes"!

Before You Say Yes is a great source of information and should be required reading for anyone planning to join a board. Doreen has laid out the book in a clear and concise manner. This book provides all the information you need to know before you decide to say yes. I highly recommend this book.

Doreen's book offers a comprehensive look at what it means to join and serve on a board - including finding a board that's right for you, board etiquette, and preparing for difficult situations. Having read "Before You Say Yes," I feel better prepared for my role as a director for the Toronto chapter of the Professional Writers Association of Canada. Doreen's succinct and well-written book is a reference that I will likely refer to again and again.

Having years of experience volunteering on non-profit boards, I personally identified with the "pleasures and pitfalls" noted in the book, "Before You Say Yes." The writer, Doreen Pendgracs knows what she is talking about! This book should be given to every prospective board member as part of their orientation. I liked the interviews, checklists of useful tips and references to websites. A must read!

Doreen Pendgracs’s Before You Say Yes… is an excellent, concise guide for anyone contemplating serving on a volunteer board. Doreen knows what she’s talking about. She has served on many boards over the past twenty-five years, including the one I currently sit on for the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC). In the first two chapters, she reviews the attributes needed by any effective board member, so if you are wondering if sitting on a board is right for you, you will find out here! Not only must you be highly interested in your board’s purpose, but you must “leave your hat at the door” because you are there for the organization, not to build your ego. Doreen covers most of the basics of board activity, including ethical decision-making, fiduciary duty, confidentiality, and the rights of board members. You will learn about the different styles of board governance and how to participate in a board meeting. Other topics include board self-assessment, insurance and liability, difficult situations, such as dealing with bullies and litigious people (who may actually be on the board you serve!) What motivates you to serve on a board? Doreen’s checklist in chapter 12 will help you know. All in all, I can’t think of a better primer for anyone contemplating serving on a volunteer board. In fact, I have recommended this as required reading for all candidates contemplating serving on the PWAC Board, and I would recommend the same for any organization in Canada. Disclaimer: I know Doreen; we are colleagues and friends, but I never lie in book reviews. For anyone thinking about serving on a board, this book is gold.

This book is invaluable for anyone sitting on a Board or considering the opportunity. It is well written with a friendly and conversational voice that makes it a pleasure to read.

Using insight from past and present members of boards - who share their ideas, challenges and tips - helps the reader understand the complexities involved in sitting on any Board. Topics like dealing with diverse personalities, Board etiquette, using technology for Board work and succession planning are just a few of the numerous and valuable components discussed in this book.

Any organization with a Board of Directors should ensure that their incoming Board members be given a copy of this book as an orientation and reference tool.

This 145-page guide to membership on volunteer boards is a gem. Open it to any page and you'll find something of value: a quick & simple guide to Roberts Rules of Order; a checklist of what makes for an effective board meeting; tips on how to best embrace virtual meeting technology; suggestions for how to be an effective board member; a chart of motivators that can drive people's actions; how to consider - and manage - the risk & liability you have as a director of an organization...and more.

Doreen Pendgracs' central message is important: If you're serious about contributing to an organization (for free!), then take the process of committing to that organization as a board member as seriously as you would consider taking on a job. It's about matching your skills and objectives with the organization's needs and it's about making sure that you mesh with the organization's culture. Too often, we join a board because our skills match their needs, but we forget to consider whether (or not) we'll "fit" with the culture and the obligations inherent in board membership.

The structure of the book is reader friendly: Each chapter opens with a brief recap of the previous chapter and a short overview of the current chapter. This keeps the content clear in the reader's mind and makes it really easy to dip into the book here and there yet sill know exactly how the current chapter is framed. That's intelligent planning on the author's part.

The text is broken up with numerous useful graphic elements - checklists, tables, charts, etc., which make the layout very inviting. Pendgracs has included lots of references and resources for further reading and research - very helpful for those of us who can get lost on today's overloaded information highway! And she explains many terms that are often tossed around the boardroom table without explanation - fiduciary responsibility, for example.

Written in a friendly, engaging style, the book is a compilation of the author's own experience on boards and the experience of people she has met over her 25 years of volunteering. Pendgracs doesn't have all the answers - how could any one person or book claim that? - but she certainly covers a lot of topics, including backroom politicking and dealing with difficult people. Anyone contemplating joining a board - or wondering why they are still contributing to a board but getting nothing from the experience - will benefit from reading this book.

Doreen Pendgracs' book is a must-read for anyone contemplating joining a non-profit board. She clearly lays out the questions to be asked (and answered), and does so in way that is accessible to everyone. No legal gobbledygook, just clear and straightforward advice given by someone who has lived the "pleasures and pitfalls" of board life.

I think this much needed book is very readable and filled with advice and information beneficial to both new and seasoned non profit board members. No where near as dry as the subject sounds!

Required reading "before you say yes" to joining a board. I was young and raw when I joined my first board. Wish I'd read this first!

Right from the beginning, Doreen Pendgracs lays out who this book is for--and who won't benefit from it. She also explains when more detailed information is required. For anyone considering a position on a volunteer board of directors, or for anyone now on a board of directors, this is a must read.
You'll learn your rights and responsibilities, how to get along well with others on the board, and to how to know when it's time to leave and ensure a successor so your hard work is carried on.
Pendgracs injects a little bit too much of her vast experience on various types of boards, but this shows she knows of what she writes. However, the examples she gives are a few too many, and the same points could have been made without revealing her personal experience. Her enthusiasm for volunteering and making a difference in your community shines through loud and clear though. She also shows how the experience gained on one board can be easily transferred to another.
It is good to have advice from the same person spread out rather than all in one place.There is some repetition of sources' and contributors' names, and other information, which really wasn't necessary given it's not a very long book.
The length is perfect however as a good reference book, and one that can be read, and referred to quickly when deciding about a position on a board, or dealing with an issue while serving on a board.
The book is written and laid out in an easy-to-follow format, but I'd suggest making notes as you go along as Pendgracs deals with some very complex information.
She shows that she has done her due dilligence in researching and writing this book, and any board that has had, or will have her with them is very lucky.