Board of Directors Competencies

In April 2024, the ACA Governing Council identified a set of strategic competencies, hard skills, and soft skills that are desirable for the Board of Directors as a whole. While the Core Competencies are required of all directors, the strategic, hard and soft skills reflect the diverse skills needed for the Board to govern effectively, steward the Association’s resources, and advance its mission. No single candidate is expected to bring all of these competencies. Instead, candidates are encouraged to highlight the strengths and experiences they would contribute to the collective capacity of the Board. As the Board develops over time, specific skills or areas of expertise may be prioritized for particular board openings to ensure balanced representation of both hard and soft skills across Board of Directors

Core Competencies

Core competencies are characteristics or skills that are integral to performance as a member of the ACA Board of Directors. These competencies are sought after for all Board Members. They include:

• Commitment to ethical conduct: adherence to ACA’s Code of Ethics and any subsequent approved revisions.
• Conflict resolution: Ability to address, identify, and resolve conflict in professional situations.
• Consensus building/collaboration: Skills in developing collaborative and cooperative professional working alliances.
• Practice experience: Experience with the practice of Professional Counseling

Strategic Skills

• Visionary and Future Focused: Ability to conceptualize new approaches to situations, challenges and opportunities. 

Hard Skills 

• Sound decision-making ability:
  • Making sense of complex, high quantity and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems
  • Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward
• Advocacy: Ability to perceive and to help to achieve desired outcomes and processes for diverse populations; and the ability to motivate others towards favorable action; client focused; removing barriers.
• Finance: Ability to understand and influence effective policy around finances and financial outcomes and processes; general financial acumen/business sense
  • 990s – Familiarity with and knowledge of non-profit business operations and best practices.
  • Audits – Familiarity with and knowledge of financial accountability and best practices in non-profit businesses.
• Legislative/policy experience: Knowledge and skills on advancing social and professional policy; experience with legislative advocacy, legislative process and ability to navigate in policy and legal development spaces.
• Marketing experience: Knowledge and skills of marketing and market positioning strategies that enhance business effectiveness and marketability.
• Non-profit/professional association governance: Experience serving on the board of non-profit or professional association; understanding of non-profit law, governance structures/document hierarchy; experience particularly with:
  • Bylaws – Ability to understand effective rule-based frameworks for organizational operations.
  • Research: Knowledge and skills of understanding and interpreting empirical research: ideally both quantitative and qualitative; Familiarity with and knowledge of research best practices and the use of research in clinical and policy-based scenarios; understanding of the research strategy agenda and research methodologies; data-driven, evidence-based decision making.
  • Technology in the mental health space: Knowledge and skills in the use of technology in Professional Counseling, in either/both educational and clinical applications.

Soft Skills:

• Building internal/external partnerships: Ability to develop effective working alliances both inside and outside of the field. 
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality: Ability to maintain appropriate ethical boundaries in terms of information exchange as is appropriate for the position and situation.
• Innovative: Ability and willingness to develop new and creative approaches to complex scenarios, Willingness to innovate and try new things.
• Objectivity: Ability to make decisions and provide input without being unduly influenced by personal biases, emotions, or external pressures; or considering facts and evidence impartially, ensuring decisions align with the organization’s best interests rather than personal interests; or open-minded, critically evaluates information, and contributes discussions in a fair and unbiased manner.
• Public Relations: Ability to speak publicly and be the face of an organization; professional and field-related information with the public at large; comfortable with media relations; open to media training
• Team orientation: Works well with others; willingness to engage in professional discourse and advocacy for the good of the profession; engages in critical conversations (internal).
• Crisis response: Ability to maintain composure, quickly formulate plans, communication and problem solve with multiple stakeholders in a high pressure or time sensitive situation.