If you’ve come across the term Policy Governance®, you might have recognized the international symbol for a registered service mark or, what is probably more familiar, a registered trademark. The mark was originally registered by Dr. John Carver, the inventor of Policy Governance. After his passing, the ownership of the service mark has been transferred to The Governance Coach Inc.
Naturally, you might think that a trademark means that the owner charges fees to those who use the product. John Carver made it clear from the beginning that this was not his intention. Neither is it the intention of The Governance Coach Inc.
Instead, the purpose of the trademark has been and will remain to protect the integrity of the model. What do we mean by that?
Policy Governance is a system defined by 10 principles. As a system, all 10 principles need to be applied for a board to legitimately claim it is using Policy Governance. Using a few or even most of the principles is not applying the system – it is not Policy Governance. We’ve written extensively about the nature of Policy Governance as a system and the benefits of the system.
Some people ask: Why so rigid? Why do we need to have all components in place?
Let’s start by recognizing that those components are principles, not practices. Principles are foundational. Practices are not. Principles have broad application, although not unlimited. Practices are much more specific.
There are many different ways a board can put the principles of Policy Governance into practice. So, in spite of the requirement to apply each of the 10 principles when using Policy Governance, a board using the system has a lot of flexibility.
The system was intentionally designed to be universal. In other words, the model can be applied in organizations of different types and sizes if the board is truly governing on someone’s behalf.
The concept of the universality of Policy Governance can be challenging for some people to wrap their heads around. Some, myself included, need to see how concepts apply in real life. As a result, it’s not unusual for board members and management to mistake a practice for a principle. And because practices are not foundational like principles, practices are less likely to apply universally.
At the same time, not all practices are consistent with the principles of Policy Governance. For example, a board using a more traditional approach to governance might monitor performance via financial statements and an update on activities, including how well the operations team is doing in comparison to the strategic plan. For a board using Policy Governance, this would not qualify as monitoring operational performance.
Policy Governance offers so many benefits which far outweigh the cost of the board’s discipline to govern in a manner consistent with the principles.
Staying true to the system isn’t for the sake of the system. It’s for the sake of governing well on behalf of those to whom your board is accountable.
Several of those working in the Policy Governance community are committed to accurate portrayal of the model, as well as helping others understand how the principles can be applied in their organizations.
For over 20 years I’ve had the extremely good fortune of working in a consultancy, The Governance Coach Inc., which consistently focuses on accurate application of the principles of Policy Governance. Added to that, I’ve been blessed with talented colleagues who are equally keen on good governance based on Policy Governance principles.
I’ve also had the privilege of working with another team of smart, capable individuals at Govern for Impact who are determined to better understand and further translate the principles of Policy Governance into more specific explanations.
Obviously, none of us are John Carver, the inventor of the model. Neither do we have the same depth of knowledge as his wife and partner in Policy Governance, Miriam Carver. But the Carvers have left us with a wealth of resources from books to newsletters to articles and transcripts of presentations. Careful examination of these resources sheds light on principles where we are challenged.
The colleagues that I’ve worked with have drawn extensively on those resources.
Of course, taking on ownership of the Policy Governance trademarks does not transform us into the Carvers. Instead, when needed, we will determine what is and isn’t Policy Governance based on the logic of the model. This may require researching the body of knowledge and consulting with wise members of the community.
The reason we do so is because we are convinced that Policy Governance is the best method for a board to serve those to whom it is accountable for the organization’s long-term results, and ethical and prudent conduct..
The cost of using the registered trademark? It’s not monetary. However, it is in the interest of recognizing its inventor and model accuracy. We ask the following of those who profess to use the model:
A) Capitalize the first letters in Policy Governance.
B) For first use on a document or a webpage, include the symbol of an international trademark: Policy Governance®
C) Include the following recognition:
Policy Governance® is the invention of Dr. John Carver and an internationally registered trademark of The Governance Coach Inc. Used with permission. The authoritative website for Policy Governance is: www.policygovernance.com.
Would you like to learn more about Policy Governance or have questions?
➡ Book a discovery call with one or our consultants– Book a Discovery Call.
➡ Upcoming dates for virtual courses:
Introduction to Policy Governance for Individuals
- Course Orientation September 30 with live sessions October 14 and November 4
- Course Orientation November 4 with live sessions November 18 and December 9
Assessing Monitoring Reports for Individuals
- Course Orientation November 5 with live sessions November 19 and December 10
Sessions for an organization’s board or groups of 4 or more can be scheduled according to your needs. Please contact us for more information on booking for groups.