Policy Development Archives - The Governance Coach

The Board’s Policy Manual – An Essential Tool

Posted by Rose Mercier
On September 2, 2020
Board Leadership, Policy Development

You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the board’s essential tool in Policy Governance® is its policy manual. After all, it is “Policy” Governance. However, you might be surprised to learn that a board can control and direct the entire organization in a relatively short document. Thirty or so pages is usually sufficient. This realization is welcome relief for boards whose previous policy manuals ran to hundreds of pages, and who may have drafted policies in response to crises, inadvertently […]

Writing Ends is more like distilling spirits than brewing beer!

Posted by Eric Phinney
On March 4, 2020
Ends, Policy Development

Last winter my wife and I cruised the coast of Florida in our sailboat. We happened upon the city of St. Augustine and were thrilled by the number of attractions. We ended up staying an extra day as we had seen an advert for free winery, distillery and brewery tours. There had to be a day’s activity in that. We spent […]

Alice in Policy Wonderland

Posted by Jannice Moore
On October 9, 2019
Policy Development

Crafting well-designed policies is not easy. Boards could, however, take some lessons from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The White Rabbit put on his spectacles: “where shall I begin, please your Majesty?” he asked. “Begin at the beginning,” the King said gravely, “and go on till you come to the end. Then stop.”(Chapter 12) The nested structure of […]

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 Your Board Expect Efforts . . . Or Results

Posted by Richard Stringham
On May 1, 2018
Accountability, Ends, Policy Development

Often when I look at mission statements and strategic plans and other direction setting documents for organizations, I will find many effort words. Some boards are in the business of “seeking” a better community. Some want to “promote” their cause. Still others “endeavor” to make a difference. And then, there is my favourite, the Board […]

How’s Your Board’s Psychic RAM?

Posted by Jannice Moore
On April 10, 2018
Executive Limitations, Policy Development, Strategic Foresight

Leading productivity expert David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, has coined a fascinating phrase: “Psychic RAM.” He argues that as individuals, when we try to keep our “to do” lists in our heads, we are tying up valuable RAM. Consequently, we have no creative thinking space available. His solution is to use a well-defined […]

The Power of Words

Posted by Dee Incoronato
On December 19, 2017
Monitoring, Policy Development

“Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs.” Pearl Strachan Hurd Words, more powerful than an atom bomb? Words are risky. We must think about our words carefully! Risk is the possibility that something bad will happen. In Policy Governance® is it the Board of Directors’ or the CEO’s role to manage […]

Policies and Monitoring: More or Less

Posted by Joseph Inskeep
On August 8, 2017
Monitoring, Policy Development

More policy is not necessarily better, and less may sometimes be more. John Carver went so far as to headline his November 1997 Board Leadership article, “Honey, I Shrunk the Policies,” with the sentence “In Policymaking, More is Definitely Not Better.” A board I’m familiar with recently downsized the number of Executive Limitations in its […]

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, […]

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 […]