To Serve, To Work, To Join, To Learn
The first thing you have to do is stop thinking of them simply as "The Board."
Start by understanding your board members one at a time–as individuals–each with his or her individual motivations, talents, interests and values. Yes, they've agreed to help lead your organization to greatness–but it's up to you to discover what each board member's abilities are, and what drives him or her to put those abilities to use.