REALBoard Buzz™

March Hare, Mad Hatter or the Duchess?

Posted by Jannice Moore
On February 28, 2017
Policy Development

When recently re-reading some excerpts from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, it struck me that they are scarily similar to some board policies I’ve seen in my experience. Perhaps as boards we can take some lessons from Alice’s adventure about writing policies. Write them – succinctly. “I quite agree with you,” said the Duchess, […]

Wave After Wave After Wave…

Posted by Andrew Bergen
On February 21, 2017
Objections to Policy Governance, Policy Governance System

My wife and I recently had the pleasure of a vacation on the coast of Mexico. We were even upgraded to a suite on the 4th floor overlooking the beach and the ocean. We spent many hours watching the waves, breathing the fresh air, and lapping up the environment. My mind became consumed with two […]

Word Smith & Word Smart

Posted by Rose Mercier
On February 14, 2017
Any Reasonable Interpretation, Policy Development

I draft a lot of documents – reports, articles like this one, policies, memos, letters, bylaws, social media posts, etc. If you write a lot, it is easy to get caught up in trying to find the precise words to say what you mean. The dictionary defines ‘wordsmith’ as “an expert in the use of […]

Presidential Slogans and the Power of Mission Statements

Posted by Paul Zilz
On February 7, 2017
Mission Statement

If you are a United States citizen, you may recall memorable slogans used by successful presidential candidates: “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too”, “Happy Days are Here Again”, “It’s Morning Again in America”, “Change We Can Believe In”, and “Making America Great Again” to name a few. Those slogans are designed to tap into heartfelt hopes and […]

How Does a Policy Governance Board Evaluate its CEO?

Posted by Ted Hull
On January 31, 2017
Accountability, CEO Evaluation, Monitoring

One of the most common questions I’m asked is “How does a Policy Governance® board evaluate its CEO?” Let me suggest that if your board is asking this question, it is asking the wrong one. If you hired someone to build a fence, you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) evaluate the competence of the carpenter while the […]

Where is Mr. Spock When You Need Him?

Posted by Richard Stringham
On January 24, 2017
Any Reasonable Interpretation

In previous careers, I have worked for a few CEOs of non-profit organizations in which the respective boards weren’t using Policy Governance®. Meetings of the board were always intriguing from the perspective of understanding what the board was thinking. Prior to a meeting, as we put proposals together for the board’s consideration (yes, these were […]

Are You Mything Out?

Posted by Rose Mercier
On January 17, 2017
Objections to Policy Governance

“Here’s why our board doesn’t use Policy Governance®.” It’s “one size fits all” It gives too much power to the CEO It only works in big organizations You can’t have committees It prescribes structures and size It’s too rigid Board members can’t talk to staff Directors can’t fulfill their fiduciary duty unless they approve the […]

It’s Not About Board Priorities

Posted by Ted Hull
On January 10, 2017
Accountability, Ends, Executive Limitations, Owners and Ownership

Your legal counsel has challenged you with the question: Has your board identified its priorities? Do you know what these priorities are? Your board has a huge responsibility. How is a board member supposed to keep track of everything that goes on within an organization when the job is a part time, and possibly volunteer […]

Don’t Resolve – Commit!

Posted by Jannice Moore
On January 3, 2017
Policy Governance Implementation, Policy Governance System

Did your board make any New Year’s Resolutions? (I don’t mean the kind that say, “RESOLVED: to accept the budget.”) I’m here to suggest that your board NOT make resolutions. Too often, resolutions end up being wishful thinking. Unless they are truly a COMMITMENT, nothing changes. So why not make a few meaningful board commitments […]

Posted by governancecoach
On December 23, 2016

Warmest wishes, Jannice Moore & The Governance Coach Team

Who’s Around the Table?

Posted by Joseph Inskeep
On December 20, 2016
Board Development

Are your board members chosen for name recognition? For their management skills? For their connections or fund-raising capacity? For their ability to work as a productive team? Boards and managers do very different yet equally essential work. Boards govern, not manage. The board’s added value is in strategic leadership more than prominence or management skills. […]

Holding On for Dear Life …… or Death!

Posted by Richard Stringham
On December 13, 2016
Policy Governance Implementation

In my days as a much younger man I was invited to join friends for a weekend of canoeing on a river which included some exciting sections of rapids. Although not requiring a high level of white-water skills, it was nonetheless challenging especially for a novice such as myself. I had done a fair bit […]

Everything is NOT Fine

Posted by Dee Incoronato
On December 5, 2016
CEO Evaluation, Monitoring, Policy Governance System

A non-profit behavioral health organization I work with has an awareness campaign entitled “Everything is Not Fine.” Their clientele are children, youth and families. We all know this story. A loved one walks in the front door and you ask, “How was school? How was your day?” The typical answer: “Fine.” In spite of what […]

It’s the Results Stupid!

Posted by Paul Zilz
On November 29, 2016
Board Leadership, Strategic Focus

Do you remember back in 1991 when a U.S. Presidential candidate successfully used the slogan “It’s the economy stupid” to keep people focused on the message that he could bring back economic prosperity when the nation’s economy began to slip into a recession? Campaign phrases like that succinctly focus people’s attention on one key idea […]

Soap Doesn’t Work

Posted by Jannice Moore
On November 21, 2016
Policy Governance System

You may have heard the story of two men walking down the street who spied a little boy with a very dirty face. One turned to the other and said, “Look at that dirty child! It’s clear that soap doesn’t work.” I am reminded of that story frequently when I read news articles referring to […]

Is Policy Governance® a “Good Fit” for Your Board?

Posted by Paul Zilz
On November 15, 2016
Governance Improvement, Policy Governance Implementation

So you are looking at your board’s governance approach and wondering if Policy Governance® is right for your organization? I remember when I was newly elected as a leader of a board, and we were looking to adopt the “Carver model.” I had no idea what that meant and had not read any of John […]

Fishtailing is for Losers

Posted by Ted Hull
On November 8, 2016
Ends

It was just prior to the energy crisis of the 1970’s when cars were cars. I was waiting at the bus stop which was located about 100 yards past the intersection where three cars waited for the light to turn green. One was a Dodge Six Pack, the second was a Shelby Mustang and the […]

If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going…

Posted by Andrew Bergen
On November 1, 2016
Ends, Future Focus

One of my favorite pieces of literature is Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. At one point in the story, Alice has an exchange with the Cheshire Cat that goes like this: Alice: “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” Cheshire Cat: “That depends a good deal on where you […]

“Gotcha” Governance

Posted by Rose Mercier
On October 25, 2016
One Voice

If you read the title and thought this blog might be about a new approach to governance, you would be wrong. And unfortunately…you might be right. “Gotcha Governance” occurs when a board or, more likely, an individual director lies in wait for the CEO until just the right moment. They are looking for the opportunity […]

Shift Happens

Posted by Jannice Moore
On October 18, 2016
Board Development, Board Orientation, Policy Governance Implementation

I fly a lot. I have the flight attendant announcements memorized: “In preparation for landing, please fasten your seat belts, ensure your seat backs and table trays are in the upright and locked positions, and stow your carry-on baggage safely. Please use caution when opening overhead bins, as articles may have shifted during flight.” Recently, […]

Don’t Look Under the Covers?

Posted by Dee Incoronato
On October 11, 2016
CEO Evaluation, Monitoring

If you’re on a board, it’s so tempting to look under the covers! In Policy Governance®, who gets to look? The Board? The CEO? Well, that depends. In Policy Governance®, the Board writes policy that guides the management of the organization. There is a clear sequence as the Board commands through this one careful channel, […]

Evidently this is Not Evidence!

Posted by Richard Stringham
On October 4, 2016
Board Development, Board Self-Evaluation

Earlier on in my consulting career, it was common to come across boards in which directors thought that the Board Chair should be the CEO’s boss. However, when a board uses Policy Governance®, board members should operate in a manner that recognizes the board as a whole is the CEO’s boss and the Chair is […]

Boredom In The Board Room?

Posted by Paul Zilz
On September 27, 2016
Board Focus, Board Leadership, Strategic Focus

You joined the board because you believe in the organization’s mission. Perhaps it is a not-for-profit whose mission is to ensure intellectually disabled people in your community have the resources they need to succeed at each stage in life. Perhaps it is your church whose mission is to demonstrate God’s love by ensuring the disadvantaged […]

Is Policy Governance® Too Big for Us?

Posted by Ted Hull
On September 20, 2016
Objections to Policy Governance, Policy Governance for Charities

I’ve heard boards say: The Carver Policy Governance model might be great for large organizations, but it’s too complicated for ours. If you are one of those smaller charities or churches where the challenge of monitoring reports, developing reasonable interpretations and getting the data feels overwhelming, let’s chat. First, let’s park Policy Governance®. Instead let […]

Travelling by Coach

Posted by Joseph Inskeep
On September 13, 2016
Board Development

Jannice Moore, our company founder, named our firm The Governance Coach™. While coaching is just one of our services, we emphasize it in the name because we’ve found coaching to be the most effective way to help boards realize and sustain a culture of governance excellence. Sport offers a good analogy for the potential contributions […]

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