Generative Governance Take Your Board to the Next Level

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Neal Armstrong
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1 Generative Governance Take Your Board to the Next Level LeadingAge NJ Annual Meeting May 27, 2015, 2-4 PM Bally s Park Place Atlantic City, New Jersey 1

2 Today s Agenda Learn about the three modes of governance Practice reframing issues related to the senior care industry Identify practical solutions to share with your board 2

3 Co-Presenters Dottie Schindlinger, EVP / Governance Technology Evangelist, BoardEffect Sonia Stamm, Principal, Stamm Consultancy, Inc. & Governance Consultant, BoardEffect 3

4 Introductions Your name & role at your organization # Years experience with boards & in senior care What will make this session successful for you? 4

5 Shared Goals for This Session Explore Best Practices Contextualize Chart a Path Forward 5

6 The world is becoming more turbulent faster than most organizations are becoming more resilient. GARY HAMEL What Matters Now 6

7 What s Happening Now? Governance is more complex & challenging than ever before Regulatory pressure on boards is increasing Stakeholders demand evidence of impact (not just outcomes) Resource scarcity Aging services landscape is changing rapidly 7

8 In addition to oversight, boards need to provide insight, and, if possible, foresight. NANCY AXELROD, Governing for Growth 8

9 From Nancy Axelrod: 6 Key Characteristics of Exceptional Boards Responsible Stewardship Constructive Relationships Intentional Governance Policies & Practices Board Development & Renewal Strategic Thinking Culture of Respect & Inquiry (Sources: ASAE s 7 Measures of Success; BoardSource s 12 Principles; Chait/Ryan; Larry Pribyl; Jeff Sonnenfeld; Katzenberg) 9

10 From Nancy Axelrod: Lessons from a Board Geek One size does not fit all. Good boards can always be better. Boards are often reluctant to change. The board s fiduciary role is essential but not sufficient for exceptional governance. The Board s performance depends, in large part, on the leadership partnership & the right tools. It s not just about the right people on the bus. 10

11 Exercise 1: Analogies The Board is to the Organization as is to. From the Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of the Nonprofit Board seminar taught by William Ryan for the Pew Charitable Trusts, May

12 3 MODES OF EXCEPTIONAL GOVERNANCE FIDUCIARY STRATEGIC GENERATIVE ROLE Sentinels Strategic Partners to Management Sense Makers ORG-SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED Low Medium High From the Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of the Nonprofit Board seminar taught by William Ryan for the Pew 2015, Charitable BoardEffect Trusts, LLC May

13 Board Behaviors in Each Governance Mode Excerpted from CentrePointe summary of "Governance As Leadership," July

14 Problem Framing 14

15 Exercise 2: (Re)Framing Problems Read through the case scenario How would you frame this problem using each of the three lenses: Fiduciary perspective Strategic perspective Generative perspective Report to the larger group 15

16 What Makes a Board Exceptional? The board's comprehension of its roles & responsibilities? A focus on accountability? Board s level of knowledge of the organization s industry? Board s clarity of purpose Board member s level of engagement From the Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of the Nonprofit Board seminar taught by William Ryan for the Pew Charitable Trusts, May

17 At your nonprofit Who decides what the organization will pay attention to? Who tends to frame the problems? Who decides what a given problem or opportunity means for the organization? Who has the most influence over what gets onto the board's agenda or list of priorities? 17

18 4 Profiles of Governance LEVEL OF STAFF INVOLVEMENT EXECUTIVE GOVERNANCE GOVERNANCE BY DEFAULT SHARED GOVERNANCE GOVERNANCE BY FIAT LEVEL OF BOARD ENGAGEMENT From the Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of the Nonprofit Board seminar taught by William Ryan for the Pew Charitable Trusts, May

19 Generative Strategies for Board Meetings Collaborative agenda creation Consent agendas Silent meeting starts One-minute essays "Mini" executive sessions Identify "generative landmarks," encourage discussion Limit the number of standing committees 19

20 Minutes Review how much of the meeting was spent in Fiduciary Mode Strategic Mode Generative Mode 20

21 Seeking Generative Landmarks Where could a generative discussion have taken place? What questions could have been posed? 21

22 How Will You Use What You ve Learned? Identification Knowledge Execution Generative Landmarks Shared Learning Governance Committee Engagement Opp. s Group Exercise Implement Tools Potential Obstacles Ongoing Board Ed. Generative Agendas 22

23 Contact Us! &

Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of the Nonprofit Board

Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of the Nonprofit Board This document presents a summary of Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of the Nonprofit Board, a seminar sponsored by The Pew