REALBoard Buzz™
Does Your Board Have a Growth or a Fixed Mindset?
I’ve been exploring the concept of “Growth vs. Fixed Mindset” over the past couple of months. A recent podcast* on the subject addressed this mindset partly in relation to the concept of risk. The podcast explained that a key factor in many areas of...
Policy Governance®: A Values-Based Model
If you’ve had anything to do with the team here at The Governance Coach™, you’ll know that we are big fans of the Policy Governance® system first developed by John Carver back in the 1970s. And for good reason: over a period of 25 years, we’ve helped more than 500...
External Monitoring Reports – When, How & Why?
If you are buying a house or a car from the current owner, you want to know that the house or car is safe and operational as stated. After all, you don’t want to move in and discover a flooded basement at the end of the first rainy day, or have the car break down on...
All For One and One For All
Feeling confident about your role as a board member and your ability to make a difference may depend upon how board members function as a team. The board of directors is the group of people entrusted with and accountable for the leadership and governance of an...
Policy Governance® – One Size Fits All?
Should your Board be Governing for Disruption?
If you observe boards over time, you start to see some interesting patterns. A couple of decades ago, boards of non-profits were prone to direct their CEOs to enter into partnerships. Closer examination would reveal that it wasn’t just boards that were pushing...
The Value of a Robust System Regarding Risk
A recent Governance Briefing from Davis Polk* details an interesting decision from the Delaware Supreme Court on the importance of boards exercising oversight of risk. The case revolved around a listeria outbreak at an ice cream production facility, which...
Eat One Hot Dog Faster
One a recent episode of the Podcast* “Freakanomics Radio”, the host was interviewing world famous food eating champion Takeru Kobayashi. He is most well-known for taking on the Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest at the age of 23 and walking away the winner. Not only...
Three Types of Questions Your Board Should Ask Owners
I once served on a non-profit board comprised of passionate board members focused on improving the lives of those residing in our community. In an effort to shift the board’s focus from internal operational issues, I suggested the board seek input from members of our...
Leading Through Values
In the life of organizations, it really does matter whether leaders stay focused on the things that actually matter. For governing boards, what matters most is giving voice to the core values and principles that define organizational purpose, ethics and prudence. It...