The Role of Chairperson

Term of Office

The chairperson's term of office is usually governed in one of two ways. One way is to make it a once-in-a-lifetime appointment, for one year only. The alternative is to elect the most capable person and to allow that person to remain in office for as long as he or she continues to be re-elected.

The advantages of the annual system are that:

It prevents an individual from becoming too powerful and influential.

It rewards long service.

It saves one person from having to carry the responsibility continuously.

The association gradually acquires a pool of skilled individuals.

The disadvantages of the annual system are:

Each new chairperson takes time to acquire knowledge and experience.

As the chairperson begins to establish the requirements of the position, he or she is replaced.

It can encourage inconsistency and instability in the association when constantly faced with change.

The chairperson may not gain any detailed knowledge of the work of the association, which might increase the power and influence of those who do remain in office for long periods, eg the secretary, treasurer or other staff.

The advantages of having a long-term chairperson are:

The chairperson becomes familiar with the workings of the association and can provide leadership with continuity and consistency.

The chairperson becomes skilled at chairing meetings, which may improve the quality of the meetings and the decisions made.

The disadvantages of having a long-term chairperson are:

An individual can build up a wealth of knowledge, experience and authority, which may result in an association being 'controlled' by its chair and not therefore listening to new ideas or ways of working

The association might become so dependent on the chairperson that it has difficulty finding a replacement when he or she retires.

Neither system is perfect, a compromise which allows a chairperson to be elected for a maximum period, for example not more than four years, can preserve the best of both.

An association needs to think carefully about its objectives before deciding to replace the chairperson on a regular basis.

Source: runningsports - Quick Guides: The Role of the Chairperson