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![Why Should the CEO [Not] be on the board?](https://www.governancecoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Should-CEO-be-on-the-board.jpg)
Why Should the CEO [Not] be on the board?
If you want to have a passionate discussion, try one that addresses whether the CEO should or should not be on the board. Some will view it as necessary as ice-cream with apple pie and others as a skunk at a garden party. Well, not quite that good or that bad; but you...
Board Expectations: Where are they Written?
As a last-minute request, I was once asked to chair an Annual General Meeting for a non-profit organization. There had been some internal conflicts on the board followed by some resignations and the Board (including replacement directors) wanted someone “neutral” to...
Does Willpower Lead to Success?
It’s that time of year again. Your board has resolved that THIS year, things will be different. You will do a better job of - fill in the blank. You’ve begun using Policy Governance®, but are struggling with how to maintain a connection with owners. Or your CEO isn’t...
How Formal Should Your Board Meetings Be?
Have you ever come away from a board meeting with a sense that the group could have made better collective decisions? Did you feel that a healthy conversation would be far more productive than a set of orchestrated motions that you are expected to vote upon following...
When Boards Make Big Changes and Govern with Purpose
Remember the last time you moved or renovated? My wife and I are making major renovations to our main floor in the house. Wow! What an endeavor! As well as you try to anticipate the various decisions that must be made, there are always 100 more that arise because of...
Measure What You Value
This week, I listened to a Podcast from Freakonomics Radio called “Where Does Creativity Come From?”. If you are looking for a recommendation for a good podcast, I’d suggest Freakonomics – very divergent and evocative thinking is presented in their work. The episode...
Don’t Be Satisfied with Low-Hanging Fruit
We have an apple tree in our backyard. This fall it was so loaded with apples we had to prop up the lower branches to keep them from breaking. When it was time to harvest them, we picked all the apples we could reach without a ladder – the low-hanging fruit – and...
The “At What Cost” Question
When boards – and specifically not for profit boards, are developing their Ends, they will determine who the beneficiaries are and what benefits will result for these beneficiaries. The third part of this process is determining whether or not it’s worth the cost of...
Implementing Policy Governance: A Cost-Benefit Analysis
Before we decide to invest in anything major, either as an individual or as an organization, we often undertake a cost benefit analysis. We usually start by listing the benefits, the potential upside of moving forward. If we want to make sure we’re considering all the...
So Many Leaves! A Better Way to Evaluate the CEO.
I typically have loved the Fall season. The colors of the leaves, the cool air at night – I just like changes in seasons (generally). However, there are two parts of Fall that I don’t like. First, it signals Winter is coming. This year, Fall has arrived quite abruptly...