Starboard

Not too long ago we were at a meeting where a hospital administrator was talking about their Patient Advisory Council and the goal of engaging a diverse cross-section of patients. As she talked with some excitement about planning for a full-day retreat with the members of her advisory council, we couldn’t help but think about …
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In much the same way that a board of directors is guided by bylaws, advisory councils should have a guiding document too–a statement of organization and purpose that describes the role of the group and the responsibilities of its members. Don’t confuse this guiding document with bylaws, however. In fact, the word “bylaws” should be …
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In our consulting practice we often work with advisory councils. In one case, we worked with an advisory council that had been in existence for over a decade. Where they once played an especially active role in the organization, they were finding they were in more of a “responsive” role. “Responsive” seemed like a better …
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We knew an executive director of a nonprofit who did a time study (tracking her time by 10 minute intervals) that showed she was spending more than 40% of her time on the business of the board—supporting them, preparing for meetings, engaging in board communications, attending meetings of board committees, and so on. While we …
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In our consulting practice we are often working with organizations that have an advisory council, or are considering one, so we’ve developed what we see as a list of essential ingredients for a successful advisory council: Clearly delineate what level of responsibility and authority the advisory council has It’s important to be clear, right from …
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