Visiting Old Friends: Updating Bylaws

It appears to be bylaw season around the office at AMG. Many of our clients have been taking the opportunity this summer to review and check to see if current practice and preferred procedures conform to what’s in their bylaws. And often they do not. If you find this to be the case, it may be time to revise this important governance document to better correlate with operational procedures and to better achieve desired outcomes.

When it comes to the basic governance of your association, the bylaws are the proverbial backbone. Or one could look at bylaws as the foundation for all policies and procedures of an organization. They are rules adopted by members that dictate how the members wish to be governed and have their organization operate. They also regulate all actions taken and decisions made. If the bylaws do not appropriately reflect the needs and current practices of the organization, trouble can occur.

Updating the bylaws to match the present practice and member preferences seems to be an easy choice. Maybe your organization needs a revamp of its election process, or perhaps, in the shifting of your organization’s management, a new board position is deemed necessary. Maybe a governance rule or regulation has been established that your membership needs to address. Whatever the situation is, we, as association leaders, should not be afraid to dig into the “mysteries” of our association’s bylaws and take a long, hard look at them.

There is always the threat of resistance to changes in association bylaws when revisions are being contemplated, with the flag of tradition or continuity being waved. I would never advocate for ignoring the history or traditions of an association or rewriting the bylaws from square one. I am advocating for making responsible changes and streamlining and simplifying with the payoff being a more efficient and successful association. It’s hard to imagine an organization whose needs have not changed at least a few times since they were founded and the bylaws written.

The benefits of revision to out of compliance bylaws definitely outweigh the potential backlash and heavy emotion which is sometime involved in the process. Bylaw revisions can make for a stronger and more effective non profit. In today’s best practice, removing bylaw hurdles to streamline operations and management can save much time and effort and really meet your member needs.

Now may be the time to explore the foundational governance document of your association. How can your governance be more effective, better achieve the mission and goals, and meet the current needs of your members? With strong and concise bylaws as the base of your organization, the operational policies and procedures will be able to flourish and you will be able to build your association into a successful industry and professional necessity.