Title: Lonely At the Top:
1Lonely At the Top
Dr. Ken Haycock 2006
- The Role of the Board Chair
2Board Effectiveness
- Three Core Board Functions
- Set strategic directions (BHAG)
- Hire/evaluate the CEO to implement 1
- Ensure monitoring and auditing of implementation
and outcomes (the what, not the how) - Start with the end in mind
3Three Core Chair Functions?
- Effective and efficient Board governance,
including structure, work plans and meetings - Supervision of the CEO
- Public face of the Board and system
- politician to politician
4Board/Chair Effectiveness
- Know The Board Context
- Mission, Vision, Values and Purpose
- Board Role and Structure
- Board Profile Chair Profile
- Board/Community Relationships
- Ethics and Integrity
- Recruitment and Succession Management
5Good Governance
- Vision planning the future
- Destination goals and road map
- Resources to achieve goals/CEO
- Monitoring progressing
- Accountability auditing efficiency reporting
- Institute on Governance
6Board Chair Position Profile
- You want to leave your footprint.
- You thrive in complex environments. You are
respectful of individual differences while
committed to quality and moving the system and
your team forward. - You take the broad view you seek to position the
library as an agent for community development. - Passionate, articulate, committed, accountable
you welcome the opportunity to interact with
community leaders and representatives to tell the
library's story and to connect political and
social agendas. You are comfortable with parents
groups and the chamber of commerce. - Ideally, you are experienced in your community's
affairs and see building community assets by
focusing, repositioning and leveraging the
librarys resources for the good of all.
7Job Characteristics
- Lead
- Train
- Accept the challenges
- Act for more than individual good
- Integrity
- Delegate
- Spokesperson
8Personal Attributes
- Attitude positive, can-do
- Accountability board assets and weaknesses
- Individual and group dynamics building
relationships dignity egos - Facilitation guide and help to find answers
effective meetings
9Keys to Board/Chair Success
- Strong board and staff leadership
- Positive working relationship with CEO
- Role clarity
- Agreement on values, mission, objectives
- Respect for norms, policies, teamwork
- Good board development practices
- Regular assessment board CEO library
- High level of trust low level of conflict
10Board/Chair Success
- Constructive resolution of conflicts and
conflicts of interest - Balance between stability, flexibility,
innovation and enterprise - Consensus or near-consensus decision-making
- Effective management of meetings and board work
11Major Concerns of Boards
- Trustee liability
- Financial viability
- Adopting business-like practices while
maintaining values - How to add value to the organization
- Balance between policy focus and knowledge of
operations - Succession planning for board and staff
12Concerns
- Strengthening board orientation and training
- Developing role clarity (board and senior
management) - Planning/collaboration
- Improving measurement of board, CEO and
organizational performance - Improving communication with stakeholders
13Signs of Boards in Trouble
- Excessive turnover of CEO and trustees
- Difficult of recruitment of credible trustees
- Rapid depletion of reserve funds
- Chronic unplanned or unmanaged deficits
- Role confusion between board and CEO
- Low attendance/participation at meetings
- Poor management of meetings
- Factionalism
14Trouble
- Underground communication
- Unresolved conflict
- Failure to address conflicts of interest
- Decision deadlock
- Disrespect for organizational norms and policies
- Poor communication with funders and key
stakeholders
15Characteristics of Chairs
- Committed, integrity (keeps word)
- Provide helpful information
- Maintain structure for boards work
- Show respect and consideration
- Facilitate interactions
- Speak with one voice
- Evaluate the organization
- Control management's job without meddling
16Chair Training Responsibilities (in order of
importance)
- Funding
- Maintaining integritylegal ethical financial
- Role of the CEO/director with the board
- Board authority
- Effective meetings
- Goal-setting
17Chair Training Responsibilities 2
- Policy-making, development
- Board organization and structure
- Relationships with council/city hall
- Determining mission and purpose
- Evaluating the director
- Role of the chair
- Monitor and evaluate
18Chair Training Responsibilities 3
- Performance measures for the CEO/director
- Hiring the director
- Trustee recruitment, selection., retention
- Planning processes
- Relationships with community groups
- Succession planning
19Chair Training Responsibilities 4
- Enhancing public standing for the Board
- Auditing finances
- Role of the councillor on the board
- Fundraising
- Management reviews
- Supervising the director
20Chair Training Responsibilities 5
- Relationship with the business community
- Friends groups/volunteers (with CEO)
- Dealing with the media (with the CEO)
21In Summary
- Board Governance/Structures
- Policy and Planning Strategic Planning Annual
Goals and Objectives - Roles and Relationships CEO Municipality
Community Groups - CEO Performance
- Finance and Fund-raising
- Monitoring/Auditing
- Board Assessment/Profile and Renewal
22Training Responsibilities
23Compared to other trustees
- Chairs are
- More concerned about policy development,
evaluating board performance, supervising the
director, provincial library services, history of
libraries and boards - Less concerned about effective meetings, board
organization and structure, the role of the
councillor, school and public library
relationships, building a new library
24Consider
- Community developmentconnect agendas and lead
- Demonstrate valuegtpublic good
- Right people around the table doing the right
things with critical respect - Relationships/CEO/Municipality/Power Bases
- Use staff appropriately
- Develop strong brand
- Evidence-based decision-making
25Bottom Line
- An effective library requires an effective board
- An effective board requires both an effective CEO
and an effective chair - You are accountable for making this happen
26To your success
- Sometimes you feel awkward about asking a
question - Sometimes there isnt time
- Sometimes you think about something later
- Dr. Ken Haycock
- ken_at_kenhaycock.com
- 604.925.0266