Governance Improvement Archives - The Governance Coach

Maintaining Policy Governance® Muscles

Posted by Rose Mercier
On April 1, 2021
Board Development, Governance Improvement, Sustaining Policy Governance

My colleague, Ted Hull, wrote a blog a couple of years ago , about how boards can ensure the gains experienced through Policy Governance are not lost. However, because I think it’s impossible to overemphasize the importance of being intentional about sustaining excellence in governing, I decided to revisit this topic. Given my long history in […]

The Best Boards Maximize Time on One Type of Information

Posted by Paul Zilz
On February 25, 2021
Board Agendas, Board Meetings, Governance Improvement

How many times have you sat in a board meeting wondering why you were discussing what you were discussing and feeling frustrated that the “real” issues weren’t being discussed? Often that frustration can be traced to one key issue: The board doesn’t understand how to properly distinguish between the three types of information it handles: […]

Building a Better Airplane

Posted by Richard Stringham
On February 4, 2021
Board Leadership, Governance Improvement

Orville and Wilbur Wright (yes, the chaps credited with inventing the or airplane), were known to have debated each other fiercely on various ideas. What made those debates unusual, and I expect more productive, was the fact that they would change sides in the debate. Few of us would dispute the need for critical thinking […]

Make a Real Strategic Difference: Stop Managing and Start Governing!

Posted by Paul Zilz
On September 9, 2020
Clear Delegation, Governance Improvement, Policy Governance System, Strategic Focus, Strategic Leadership

I recently observed a board meeting where the board discussed whether or not to renew a contract with one of the organization’s vendors. Clearly, a majority of board members and the Executive Director were frustrated by a perceived lack of responsiveness from this vendor, and alternatives had been explored. Inevitably, someone asked if a motion […]

Does Your Board Multi-Task in Virtual Meetings?

Posted by Jannice Moore
On July 22, 2020
Board Meetings, Governance Improvement

In pre-COVID days, I have expressed concern about the effect on the board’s ability to govern well of board members who were distracted during board meetings by having their smart phones always at hand. The phones may have been blatantly obvious, they may have been on vibrate, they may have been surreptitiously checked under the […]

Freedom In Discipline

Posted by Jannice Moore
On July 8, 2020
Board Development, Board Leadership, Governance Improvement

Has your board considered Policy Governance® but decided against it because it sounded like too much work, or you heard it was too confining? Often, this translates into “we don’t really want to exercise discipline.” Many boards tend to shy away from discipline. Perhaps it’s because the word evokes mental images of punishment – when […]

Boards Can Change the World; But Only with Gut-Wrenching Honesty

Posted by Richard Stringham
On June 17, 2020
Board Self-Evaluation, Governance Improvement, Values

Worldwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd have some asking if this will be the turning point in history that is so badly needed. Calls are being made for every institution at every level to tackle the pervasive and systemic racism. I’m a white male in his mid-sixties living in an affluent Canadian […]

At What Point do I Begin?

Posted by Eric Phinney
On January 8, 2020
Board Development, Governance Improvement, Policy Governance System

I am always pleased when I am invited by an organization to come and help them with their board of directors. Then comes the fine tuning of the invitation. They have requested to see all the various “systems” of board governance and learn their advantages and disadvantages. Usually boards are using a process they have inherited that is based on tradition, an application of Robert’s Rules of […]

Revolving Door Boards

Posted by Richard Stringham
On June 11, 2019
Board Meetings, Board Recruitment, Governance Improvement

Does your board suffer from revolving door directors’ attendance? In other words, some board members attend board meetings on an erratic basis: a meeting here and another there. Even if your board enables distance connection, these board members have spotty in and out attendance. Of course, who can blame them? These are busy people who […]

Board Expectations: Where are they Written?

Posted by Richard Stringham
On January 22, 2019
Board Meetings, Governance Improvement, Policy Development

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 chair what was shaping up to be a contentious meeting. (Note to self: don’t […]

Does Willpower Lead to Success?

Posted by Jannice Moore
On January 8, 2019
Governance Improvement

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 all that keen on writing monitoring reports […]

When Boards Make Big Changes and Govern with Purpose

Posted by Paul Zilz
On December 11, 2018
Board Leadership, Governance Improvement, Strategic Leadership

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 contingencies. Same with a move! […]

It Works in Small Organizations, Too

Posted by Eric Phinney
On June 19, 2018
Governance Improvement, Small Organizations

Several years ago I was invited to join the board of a small not-for-profit organization. It had been sliding downhill as a going concern for a number of years and the board had just taken the drastic action of dismissing the CEO with no notice amidst allegations of fraud. The CEO responded with a wrongful dismissal […]

Ten Traits of Effective Board Members

Posted by Paul Zilz
On April 24, 2018
Board Recruitment, Governance Improvement

Have you ever played on a sports team, worked on a business team, or served on a board, where the people could not work together effectively to accomplish the goal? This can be a frustrating and challenging experience, and often it is because the people on the team are just not suited well or equipped […]

Make a Real Strategic Difference: Stop Managing and Start Governing!

Posted by Paul Zilz
On October 10, 2017
Clear Delegation, Governance Improvement, Policy Governance System, Strategic Focus, Strategic Leadership

Wild Boars – or Wild Boards

Posted by Jannice Moore
On September 12, 2017
Accountability, Governance Failure, Governance Improvement

A typo in a newspaper headline earlier this year caught my eye. The photo was of several wild boars, and the headline read “Alberta admits defeat in attempt to wipe out wild BOARD with bounty.” [emphasis added] The article goes on to explain how wild boars have damaged crops and riverbanks, cut fences allowing domestic […]

Becoming a High Performance Board

Posted by Rose Mercier
On August 22, 2017
Board Development, Governance Improvement

At one time in my life, I was very involved in coaching education. An important competency for coaches was building high performing teams. It was important not only in team sports but also individual sports where a coach might be leading teams of coaches and support staff or leading a provincial or national team in […]

What About Term Limits For Board Members?

Posted by Ted Hull
On June 27, 2017
Board Development, Governance Improvement

It is important that we have term limits for board members so we can get fresh blood. We need term limits; otherwise how do we get rid of poor board members? These are two very common reasons for setting term limits for a board. You can add to this list of supposedly good ideas. In […]

Family Business, Family Values and Policy Governance

Posted by Joseph Inskeep
On June 20, 2017
Family Business, Governance Improvement, Values

Family businesses make up a larger percentage of the economy than many people realize. The Family Firm Institute (FFI) notes that family firms * account for two thirds of businesses worldwide, between 70%-90% of global GDP and 50%-80% of jobs in the majority of countries. In the US, half of all publically listed companies are […]

ABC – Are you a Micro-Zombie?

Posted by Jannice Moore
On May 23, 2017
Governance Improvement

Does your board have a habit of being alone together? I’ve witnessed too many board meetings where board members’ smart phones are always close at hand. They may be blatantly obvious, they may be on vibrate, they may be surreptitiously checked under the table, or board members may even answer phone calls in the middle […]

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 […]