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Strategic discussions with the board
I am always preaching about the importance of engaging the board in strategic discussions during board meetings, but I find that many people have trouble getting their arms around this concept…possibly because strategic discussions are such a rarity on too many boards. A conversation I had today with the leadership of one organization might be illuminating in this regard.
This particular board has “diversity among our clients” as one of their values, yet their client base is anything but, and the directive, “let’s increase diversity” certainly doesn’t provide the executive director with much guidance. A great strategic discussion at a board meeting might focus on questions like these:
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What do we mean by diversity? (economic, racial, ethnic, other?)
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How much diversity do we want? (is there a target number or percentage?)
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What considerations do we have to keep in mind? (what are the potential obstacles?)
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What will it take to achieve it? (what will this cost and what changes are required?)
Where the line needs to be drawn in this discussion is when the board moves into the logistics of how diversity will be achieved. While it may be helpful for the executive director to hear suggested strategies and ideas for achieving the diversity goal, ultimately, the how is the responsibility of the executive director. The board must hold him or her responsible for the goal, and staying within the parameters they set, but they should not direct the strategies or process. Frame the discussion so the board stays on the strategy level, and not implementation, and you’ll find that you maximize the strengths your board members bring to your organization, and you’ll be setting the stage for meaningful and engaging discussions.
April 24th, 2009 at 4:24 am
Do you have any suggestion for ways and means the Board can hold the CEO accountable for the HOW.
April 24th, 2009 at 7:06 am
The executive director has responsibility for developing and executing the strategies that support the strategic direction, but that does not mean that the board should step away and hope for the best. I suggest that boards look at the strategic priorities they’ve set and then ask, “What is it that we would need to know or would need to measure in order for us to understand whether there is progress being made here?” The key phrase here is, “need to know.” The board should be able to expect regular progress reports, but they need to avoid the temptation of asking for data and information that is in the “nice to know” category. If you are very clear on what it is that you are hoping to achieve, you should then be able to determine what the essential info is that you’ll need in order to measure progress. Develop these measures or reporting expectations with the executive director, and reach agreement on how often you need reports. Do your best to not make this too burdensome.