The Silence After “Nominations Are Open”
“Next AGM, skip the silence. Ask: ‘What strengths do we need at the table this year?"
When the Room Goes Quiet
Near the end of your AGM.
Coffee cups are empty, everyone’s eyeing the door, and then it happens.
“Nominations are now open.”
You could hear a pin drop.
Directors shift in their seats, hoping invisibility cloaks are a real thing.
Someone finally breaks the silence, “I’ll do it if no one else will.”
Cue the polite applause. The new board is formed.
Another year, same faces, same exhaustion.
It’s not that people don’t care.
It’s that your nomination process is built on panic, not planning.
And when you build on panic, burnout becomes your annual tradition.
Why Passion Isn’t Enough
I’ve seen that silence. I’ve sat in that silence.
And I’ve learned that most fairs don’t have a people problem; they have a system problem.
Finding directors isn’t about filling seats.
It’s about finding the right people for the job.
Every role on your board needs different skills, leadership, organization, people management, financial oversight, or community vision.
Yet most fairs never stop to ask, “What do we actually need at the table this year?”
When you treat nominations like a skills audit, not a scramble, you start building a team that can actually lead, not just survive.
You stop recycling burnout.
You start creating balance.
What Protects the Legacy
Here’s the shift: your nomination process isn’t just a formality.
It’s your first line of defence for legacy protection.
When you match people’s strengths to the right roles,
you’re not just filling your roster, you’re protecting your fair’s future.
Passion is powerful, but systems run on clarity.
And clarity is what keeps your fair sustainable when the founding generation retires or the go-to volunteer finally steps down.
That’s why I built the Fair Audit, to help boards turn passion into process.
Because when your systems work, your people can finally breathe.
From Awkward Silence to Confident Choice
Next AGM, don’t ask who’s willing.
Ask who’s ready.
What strengths do we need this year?
Who thrives under pressure?
Who has fresh ideas that could lighten the load for everyone else?
Because when your board is built on purpose, not panic,
the silence after “Nominations are now open” becomes a pause, not of dread, but of possibility.
Fairs who’ve made that shift tell me their nominations feel calm, not chaotic.
That’s the real transformation, confidence instead of crisis.
Ready to build a board that runs on clarity, not chaos?
Let’s start with your Fair Audit.
Let's Get to Work
Kryssie ❦
3 Ways to Work with Fair Systems That Work ↓
👉 Fair Audits
It’s not just about your board. Audits look at your whole fair, from directors to conveners, volunteers to systems. You’ll get a clear snapshot of what’s working, what’s not, and where the biggest gaps are, so you know exactly what needs to change.
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👉 Fair Audit Survival Guide - Free eBook
Inside the Fair Audit Survival Guide, you’ll find the Audit Worksheet, your step-by-step tool to see what’s working and what’s fragile.
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👉 Legacy Survey
Your voice matters.
No two fairs are the same, and that’s the point. By sharing your wins and struggles, you’re helping build resources that support every fair across the country. Let’s shape the future together.
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