See also: Spurious Influences Derail Delegation
When organizations have a board member serving as Treasurer, significant dysfunction can emerge in the relationship between the board and the CEO. On one hand, the board has delegated the accomplishment of results within certain boundaries to the CEO, and on the other hand, the Treasurer is expected to oversee, manage, and/or question any/all operational Continue reading →
If your board or organization is asked about why it uses Policy Governance, here are five main benefits to share. Results: Policy Governance focuses boards on ensuring that the organization achieves relevant results. Applying Policy Governance principles lets boards connect all the dots from owner input to board policy to policy interpretation to evidence of Continue reading →
Anytime a board member has a concern with operational situations or processes, they can take the following steps: 1. Check to make sure the underlying concern is covered (put off limits) by one or more Executive Limitations policies. Check for both broadly stated policies (e.g., the CEO shall not allow anything “unethical or imprudent”) as Continue reading →
Whenever a person or group of people delegate a task or objective to another person or group of people, this is what we expect will happen. Someone in a position of authority (e.g., citizens, members, shareholders, a board of directors, a boss) communicates clear objectives to a delegatee, who, by virtue of the role they accepted, Continue reading →
I often get asked, “How do boards using Policy Governance do strategic planning?” Policy Governance principles provide clarity around who is accountable for which of the many elements traditionally contained within a strategic plan. In a nutshell, the board initiates the process at the broadest, most strategic level, delegates the accomplishment of its direction, and Continue reading →
One frequently misunderstood Policy Governance® principle is the Board Holism (a.k.a. “One Voice”) principle, which states: “3. Board Holism: The authority of the board is held and used as a body. The board speaks with one voice in that instructions are expressed by the board as a whole. Individual board members have no authority to Continue reading →
Former Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm, recently mentioned on CNN the old maxim that “personnel is policy.” She stressed the idea that staffing leadership positions in government is crucial because of all the day-to-day decisions these people make, and “those small decisions are what bend the arch of policy.” Indeed, this does seem to describe how Continue reading →
Three key points that emerged during this online discussion by the Xylem Group, Accountability – Dealing with the aftermath of failure, underscore the challenging nature of the role of a board of directors: Boards are ultimately accountable for organizational performance (or lack thereof). Board members can’t possibly know everything about everything. There are risks in everything an Continue reading →
“Good leaders must first become good servants.” – Robert Greenleaf Yes, we know you were elected or appointed to the board of directors because of your expertise, your skills, your background, your hard work, your personality, and/or your commitment to the company or organization. Or maybe you stepped up when nobody else volunteered. Regardless of Continue reading →