HomeMy WebLinkAboutEffective Board Governance PresentationEffective Board Governance
Effective Board Governance
Enables the Mayor and Town Council:
•to reach decisions with a broad consensus
•within an environment of teamwork and mutual
respect
•creates within the group a broad-based sense of
ownership in the process,and ultimately in the
decision.
Effective Board Governance
Requires Philosophy and Policy
•Having a Philosophy Means Knowing What You Want
to Accomplish and WHY
•Having Policies Means Knowing What You Want to
Accomplish and HOW
Effective Governance Requires
Healthy Deliberation
•Avoid internal disagreement over issues that don’t matter
•Avoid time drain on the ‘small stuff’
•Disagree without being disagreeable
•Deal effectively with CAVE men rather than catering to and empowering them
•Don’t let articulate incompetents drive you to make incompetent decisions out of fear
Effective Governance Requires
Setting Expectations
•Expectations for the staff and the community should be
clear, overt and measurable.
•Be careful of communicating unspoken expectations
that create unintended results.
If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you
there. The Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland
Effective Governance Requires
•Understanding
Never try to walk across a river just because it has an average depth of 4 ft.
•Accountability
Hold staff and each other accountable for achieving expectations individually, and as a
team
•Forgiveness
“There is a world market for maybe five computers.” Tom Watson, CEO, IBM, 1943
“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” Ken Olson,
Founder, Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977
“640K ought to be enough computer memory for anybody.” Bill Gates, CEO,
Microsoft, 1981
Effective Governance Requires
Thoughtful Deliberation
•The hardest part of making a good Board decision is
not offering solutions before you understand the
problem
Effective Governance Requires
Sincere Humility
•“It takes a smart man to know where he is stupid.” Barney
Rubble
Roles and Responsibilities of
Board Members
Five Areas of Responsibility for the Board
1.Formulating the organization’s mission, vision and goals
2.Ensuring the financial health of the organization
3.Setting expectations for efficient and effective management and
systems
4.Ensuring quality of services
5.Monitoring board and organizational effectiveness in advancing
the mission and in making the vision a reality
7 Roles for the Board
Board Role 1
External Communicators
•Establish a vital link to the community as a whole
•Reassure and educate those who think the Town is moving too
fast/far/slow or not far enough
•Act as Ambassadors on behalf of the Town to all stakeholders
•Set an example by your own personal demeanor regarding how decisions
are made with positive and appropriate behaviors
•Explain unpopular decisions to critics
•Protect the integrity of the process more than the integrity of your
position
Board Role 2
Internal Communicators
•Provide insight into the direction and concerns of the community and
stakeholders
•Effectively “listen” to what the community is saying in words AND
deeds
•Act as a “compass” for staff
Board Role 3
Fiduciary Overseers
•Monitor all relevant trends, not just current cash flow
•Ensure compliance with regulatory rules
•Ensure all resources are properly accounted for and reported
•Ensure all expenditures are for the purposes intended
•Ensure that resources are properly invested and/or managed
•Ensure that systems are in place which build trust in the community
and among stakeholders
Board Role 4
Policy Developer
•Ensure that appropriate and effective policies are in place governing all
aspects of the operation of the municipality
•Internalize your vision and mission statement
•Challenge everyone’s assumptions
•Don’t be afraid to ask questions
•Ensure the pursuit of the mission, not preservation of the status quo
Board Role 5
Information Systems Overseer
•Understand the significance of good data
•Understand how to use good data
•Make your decision making evidence based
•Integrate your information system into everything you do
•Remember that information is power
Board Role 6
Priority Assessments
•Do things right AND
•Do the right things
•You can’t do the wrong thing well enough to make it the right thing
to do
•Ensure resources are effectively utilized
Board Role 7
Strategic Visionary
•Identifying your core mission or purpose
•Articulating your core values
•Deciding what you want to become
•Defining what you want to achieve
•Understanding where you are
•Determining how to get where you’re going
•Deciding the price and level of investments necessary to get there