Building Board Engagement
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This document discusses building board engagement by reframing the conversation around three modes of governance: fiduciary, strategic, and generative. The fiduciary mode focuses on stewardship, compliance, and oversight. The strategic mode emphasizes strategic partnership and planning. The generative mode aims to make sense of challenges, frame problems, and discover new opportunities. Effective boards maximize time spent in the strategic and generative modes by asking catalytic questions, creating space for reflection, and bringing in outside perspectives. The document also addresses ensuring balanced engagement between the board and CEO through transparency, collaboration, and mutual assessment.
Building Board Engagement
- 1. Building Board Engagement Redefining the Conversation of the Board Paul Van Dolah
- 2. Our Goal Building a More Effective Board Exceptional Responsible Functional Dysfunctional
- 3. Effective Boards Offer a strategic asset and comparative advantage Add value/derive value from meaningful participation in consequential discussions and decisions Macrogovern more than micromanage Model behaviors trustees expect the organization to exhibit Harness individual talent to collective effort Provide leadership as well as stewardship
- 4. Reframing the Conversation Diagnosis Problem of performance Classical Response Codify board’s role, clarify tasks Objective Do the work better Diagnosis Problem of purpose Reframed Response Enrich the job, engage the board Objective Do better work
- 5. Governance as Three Modes Leadership of Governance Fiduciary: Type I
- 6. Core Concepts Emphasize modes, not tasks, of governance Think and work in three different modes Value added increases as board Becomes more proficient in more modes Does more work in third mode Chooses appropriate mode(s) of work
- 7. Type I: Fiduciary Mode Board’s central purpose: Stewardship of tangible assets Board’s principal role: Sentinel Board’s core work: Ensure efficient & appropriate use of resources Ensure legal compliance & fiscal accountability Ensure accountability Oversee operations Select & evaluate CEO
- 8. Question What can you do to minimize the Fiduciary Mode ??? Consent Agendas Minimize reports Materials in advance to facilitate two way interactions Other???
- 9. Type II: Strategic Mode Board’s central purpose: Strategic partnership with senior management Board’s principal role: Strategist Board’s core work: Scan internal and external environment Resolve priorities Review and modify strategic plan Monitor performance
- 10. Question What can you do to maximize the Strategic Mode ??? Proactive forward looking agendas Focus on obstacles impeding strategic execution Focus on progress…with ultimate question being “So, what’s next?” Other???
- 11. Type III: Generative Mode Board’s central purpose: Sense Making Board’s principal role: Framing Board’s core work: See current challenges in new light Perceive and frame better problems and opportunities Discover realities Suspend rules of logic and tap into intuition Encourage robust discourse
- 12. Question What can you do to maximize the Generative Mode ??? Create time to reflect Bring in provocative (relevant) speakers Create “So, now what?” moments Other???
- 13. Catalytic Questions What should we worry about? What keeps the Executive awake at night? What keeps trustees awake at night? Whom would we serve in what ways if money did not matter? What’s good for mission, bad for business? Vice versa? What would we do differently as a for-profit? On what list, yet to be devised, would we want to rank #1? What will be this board’s legacy?
- 14. Three types of Governance: Distinctive Differences Fiduciary Strategic Generative Nature of Organizations Bureaucratic Open System Nonrational Nature of leadership Hierarchical Analytical Reflective learners Visionary Board’s purpose Stewardship Strategic partnership Leadership for Of assets with management organization Board’s work Oversee Discern problems Shape strategy operations Sense making Board’s role Sentinel Strategist Sense maker Key question What’s wrong? What’s the plan? What’s the question? Problems are to be Spotted Solved Framed 14
- 15. Where Does Generative Thinking Occur? THE GENERATIVE CURVE Sense-making Problem-framing Opportunity to influence generative work declines as Strategies, issues are Opportunity for Policies framed and Generative Work converted into strategies, plans , and tactics. Plans, Tactics, Execution Time
- 16. The Generative Curve Reconcile social purpose and business model Generative Strategic Fiduciary Compete on amenities Opportunity for Generative Work Approve new fitness center Time 16 GOVERNANCE AS LEADERSHIP
- 17. The Generative Dilemma Generative Curve Trustee involvement lowest where generative opportunity Opportunity for Typical Board greatest; Generative Work Involvement trustee Curve involvement increases as generative opportunity decreases. Time 17 GOVERNANCE AS LEADERSHIP
- 18. The Payoff Empowers the board Governance as Engages the collective mind Leadership Exploits board’s assets Enriches board’s work Enhances board’s performance
- 19. Ensuring the balance Engagement CEO CEO Is partnering with the Is displacing the Board Board CEO Engagement Governance Governance As As Observation Leadership CEO CEO Is going through the Is displaced by the motions with the Board Board Governance Governance As As Attendance Micromanagement Board Engagement
- 20. Ensure Balanced Engagement Listen to the group’s dynamics Work hard on constructive partnership Foster inquisitive inquiry Draw out multiple sources of information Ensure that all voices are heard
- 21. Build Trust Practice Transparency Embrace Mistakes Celebrate Creativity Reward Authentic Dialogue Foster Collaboration Share Credit Remain Accountable
- 22. The successful CEO knows how to… Create a shared vision Invest in continuous revitalization Help frame the vital questions Engender a culture of inquiry Build trust and respect
- 23. Successful CEO’s Invest in the constructive partnership Foster engagement Learn from failures Adapt and change Move beyond formulaic roles Engage in mutual assessment