Role of the Board Chair

Lonely At the Top: The Role of the Board Chair Dr. Ken Haycock 2011 For related resources, visit our website: www.kenhaycock.com

Board 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…

Three 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…

Board/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

Good Governance
Vision: planning the future
Destination: goals and road map
Resources: to achieve goals/CEO
Monitoring: progressing
Accountability: auditing; efficiency; reporting
Institute on Governance

Board 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 library’s resources for the good of all.

Job Characteristics
Lead
Train
Accept the challenges
Act for more than individual good
Integrity
Delegate
Spokesperson

Personal 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

Keys 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

Board/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

Major 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

Concerns
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

Signs 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

Trouble
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

Characteristics of Chairs
Committed, integrity (keeps word)
Provide helpful information
Maintain structure for board’s work
Show respect and consideration
Facilitate interactions
Speak with one voice
Evaluate the organization
Control management's job without meddling

Chair Training Responsibilities
Funding
Maintaining integrity—legal; ethical; financial
Role of the CEO/director with the board
Board authority
Effective meetings
Goal-setting

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

Performance measures for the CEO/director
Hiring the director
Trustee recruitment, selection., retention
Planning processes
Relationships with community groups
Succession planning

Enhancing public standing for the Board
Auditing finances
Role of the councillor on the board
Fundraising
Management reviews
Supervising the director

Chair Training Responsibilities 5…
Relationship with the business community
Friends groups/volunteers (with CEO)
Dealing with the media (with the CEO)

In 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

Training Responsibilities

Compared 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

Consider…
Community development: connect agendas and lead
Demonstrate value>public 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

Bottom 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…

To your success…
Sometimes you feel awkward about asking a question…
Sometimes there isn’t time…
Sometimes you think about something later…
Dr. Ken Haycock
[email_address]
778.689.5938
For related resources, visit our website: www.kenhaycock.com

Role of the Board Chair

by Ken Haycock & Associates Inc. on Mar 06, 2011

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Role of the Board Chair — Presentation Transcript