Susan Mogensen 
October 26, 2025Q: What’s special about Brown Dog Consulting? A: We explain concepts and principles in a simple and engaging way, with an emphasis on creative, hand-drawn visuals. We also ensure that you can use Policy Governance principles in ways that work well for your board and organization, and clients appreciate that we provide very responsive, human Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen August 21, 2025[Transcript below] Let’s take a look at transparency, accountability, and the flow of information when using Policy Governance. Before we go any further, know that John Carver has stated that a board can request any information at any time — this much is clear. The key, of course, is that the request must come from Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen July 24, 2025by Susan Mogensen The second installment of a series considering the relationship between Policy Governance and hierarchy, originally published in Board Leadership No. 98 (July – August 2008). With the laudable goal of minimizing the conflicts and irresponsible use of power that often flow from hierarchical structures, is it possible to have a “nonhierarchical governance Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen July 24, 2025How Policy Governance® Resolves the Common Complaints The first of two parts By Susan Mogensen This article was originally published in Board Leadership No. 91 (May – June 2007). I was puzzled. A question posted in an online discussion forum with the subject header, “Non-hierarchical governance structures,” asked for thoughts and information regarding “nonprofit governance Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen July 23, 2025The True Nature of Hierarchy and Authority [VIDEO TRANSCRIPT BELOW] Have you ever felt powerless in the face of an apparent top-down power structure? Maybe the way we think about hierarchy is upside-down. When people picture hierarchy, they commonly imagine something like this: …With a CEO, or Chair & CEO at the top, a board Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen March 25, 2025Both the Board and the CEO/staff make decisions relating to Ends and means. The board makes Ends decisions when it creates Ends policies, and makes means decisions when it creates Executive Limitations policies (i.e., about means the CEO/staff should not use or allow, even if they would be effective in achieving the Ends.) The CEO/staff Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen March 10, 2025Originally published in Govern Update, April 2019. “The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.” – Robert K. Greenleaf Customer service is a very well-known concept in management and organizational life, and it is widely acknowledged that serving customers well leads to increased loyalty, Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen May 17, 2024One of the most unique features of the Policy Governance system is the Executive Limitations principle, which states: “The board defines in writing its expectations about the means of the operational organization. However, rather than prescribing board-chosen means — which would enable the CEO to escape accountability for attaining Ends — these policies define limits Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen February 8, 2024To check out many of the policy examples quickly shown in this video, visit the Policy Examples page. Note: Credit for developing examples of policies consistent with Policy Governance principles is due to John Carver and Miriam Carver, the co-Authoritative Sources for Policy Governance. See also: Reinventing Your Board: A Step-By-Step Guide to Implementing Policy Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen January 26, 2024For most of us, calling people out can be a little awkward, and something we’d really rather not do. Especially when those people are our colleagues, friends, or our boss. Imagine, for example, you’re a CEO, and you witness one or more board members saying or doing something that is clearly wrong or at odds Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen October 11, 2023We all count on boards of directors to ensure: 1. Relevant results happen. 2. Bad things don’t happen. Simple, but it’s not easy if board members haven’t all shared the same educational experience around the role of board, and good governance principles. Usually everyone comes to the board table with very different ideas of what Continue reading →
Susan Mogensen March 13, 2023Policy Governance boards hiring a new CEO must get a clear understanding from the outset about the candidates’ familiarity and experience with the Policy Governance system. Hiring a CEO who has provided the board with false assurances on this question could jeopardize not only all of the hard work and investment the board has put Continue reading →
