Have you ever wondered why board members seem to take off their strategic thinking caps before coming into the boardroom? This session will explore why boards aren’t strategic thinking entities and, more importantly, present 25 tangible ideass / practices that can be implemented to transition one’s board into a strategic thinking body, while building the strategic capacity of the organization at the same time. In this interactive session, participants will learn how everything from board selection to culture to board meeting design and management plays a role.

1. Thrive. Grow. Achieve.
Creating a High
Performing Strategic
Thinking Board
Robert Nelson, NSC Strategies
September 29, 2015

2. Transitioning a Board into a
Strategic Thinking Entity
25 Tips
Creating High Performance Governance
Robert Nelson, CAE
www.NSCstrategies.com

3. High Performing Boards
§ Culture of candor,
respect and inquiry
§ Appetite for
continual learning &
improvement
§ Think and act
strategically

4. Think Strategically
Key Recommendation
§ The greater the strategic
orientation, the better the
board performance
§ Even boards that spend just a
moderate amount of time on
strategic thinking & planning
perform better than those
that do not

5. Expected Outcomes
§ Knowledge to develop a strategy for
transitioning your board to a strategic
thinking entity
§ Tools to increase the frequency & quality
of strategic thinking / dialogue in board
setting
§ Identify 3 key components of good
strategy

6. Strategic Thinking
Why do board members take
off their strategic thinking
caps when they enter the
boardroom?

7. The First Step
Recognize that
executives are not
necessarily strategic
thinkers
1

9. Strategic Thinking
Thinking conceptually,
imaginatively, systematically, and
opportunistically with regard to
the attainment of success in the
future, while simultaneously
considering the larger
environment or broader context,
and the immediate environment.

10. Strategic Thinking Experiences
2

11. Intentional
3

12. Change in Culture
Revolutionary
§ Rapid, dramatic change
§ Sudden transformation
§ Can lead to dramatically
improved (or changed)
performance in a
relatively short period of
time
Evolutionary
§ Slow, continuous change
§ Incremental
§ Over time, can lead to
significant improvement
in performance
4

13. Transition
Managing Transitions, William Bridges

14. Understand the Purpose
§ Build the strategic capacity
§ Strengthen governance
§ Improve board performance
5
Remember: You’re not
correcting a wrong

15. Vision
§ Future state
§ Well articulated
§ How much to share
§ Timing
6

16. Champions for Change
§ Early on
§ 5 to 10 percent
§ Support need for transition
§ Support behavioral change
needed to transition
§ Chair person – chief change
agent
7

17. Create Change Strategy
§ Roadmap
§ Barriers
§ Forces to exploit
§ Execution Plan
§ Not everyone will change
at the same rate
8

18. Barriers

19. Barriers

20. Change the Agenda
Traditional Agenda
§ Approve Minutes
§ Committee Reports
§ Financial Reports
§ Old Business
§ New Business
Strategic Agenda
§ Strategic Dialogue
§ Strategic Actions
§ Performance Oversight
§ Consent Agenda
9

21. Strategic Issues
§ Big issues with strategic significance
§ Invest time in identifying the issues
§ Environmental scanning
§ Non-board stakeholders
§ Off-line board member discussions
§ Board meetings
10

22. Strategic Dialogue
§ Doesn’t require action or
decisions
§ Intentionally carve out time
§ Agreement that no decisions
will be made
§ Creation of new ideas
§ Formation of shared
meaning
§ Free flow of diverse
perspective
11

23. Dialogue
§ Free flow of meaning between board members
§ Explore with honest curiosity and understand
the meaning of what people are saying
§ Seeks to understand and build upon what has
been said
§ Understand the assumptions of others and
recognize your own
Click here for more information

24. Tools of Inquiry
§ How does this align with our strategy?
§ How does this program align with our Core
Values?
§ How does this reflect our priorities?
§ I am curious, what assumptions did you base
your decision on?
§ What are the opportunity costs?
§ What will the net financial impact be? What
impact will this have on our budget?
§ In your view, what are the risks associated
with this decision?
§ How do you intend to evaluate the success
of the program?
12

25. Knowledge-Based Decision Making
What do we know about our
stakeholders needs, wants and
preferences that is relevant to
this decision?

26. Knowledge-Based Decision Making
What do we know about our the
current realities and evolving
dynamics of our organization’s
environment that is relevant to
this decision?

27. Knowledge-Based Decision Making
What do we know about the
capacity and strategic position
of our organization that is
relevant to this decision?

28. Knowledge-Based Decision Making
What do we wish we knew, but don’t?

29. Knowledge-Based Decision Making
What are the ethical implications?

30. Generative Thinking
§ Bring data, information and
knowledge to the board un-
packaged
§ Frames issues
§ Produces sense of what
data, information and
knowledge mean
§ It is where goal setting and
direction-setting originate
13
Click here for more information

31. 14

32. Loyal Opposition & Support
§ Pre-designate
§ Use tools of inquiry
§ Strategic arguments
15
Strategic Dialogue
is the goal. Script
out your Loyal
Opposition and
Loyal Support.
Use Tools of
Inquiry.

33. Chair Preparation
§ Development, ongoing
§ Practice
§ Pre-meeting prep call
§ Post-meeting debrief
§ Talking points
§ Strategic questions
§ Manage the meeting
16

34. Protect Against Group Think
§ Awareness
§ Chair can play an important role
§ Create a culture where
disagreement and diverse opinions
are valued
§ Encourage an atmosphere of open
inquiry
§ Challenge assumptions
§ Always consider unpopular
alternatives
§ Devil’s advocate
§ Agenda design
§ Breakouts
17
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35. Briefing Material
§ Must be intentional
§ Information and knowledge
that stimulates strategic
discussion
§ Informed decisions
§ 360 degree review
18

36. Governance Structure
§ Aligned with the governing
work of the board
§ Not aligned with
administrative / operating or
program functions
§ Benefits:
Ø Facilitates a focus on strategic
level issues
Ø Protects against micro-
management
Ø Protects against silos
19

37. Model Governance Structure
Board of Directors
Planning &
Program
Development
Performance
Oversight &
Monitoring
External Relations/
Resource
Development
Audit Committee
Governance
Committee
Extraordinary Board Leadership, Doug Eadie

38. Governing Mission
§ Primary governing
responsibilities and functions
§ Disciplinary tool
§ Clearly defines what the
mission of the board is
20

39. Clearly Defined Roles and
Responsibilities
Board
§ What
§ Policy
§ Strategic Direction
§ Ensuring outcomes
Staff
§ How
§ Execution
§ Operational / Tactical
§ Empowered to work
through details
21
§ Job descriptions
§ Strong volunteer / staff partnership
§ Respecting decision maker
§ Annual board orientation / briefing
§ Fuzzy line

40. Board Diversity
§ Key element of good strategy
§ Goal: Diversity of thought
§ Enriches generative dialogue
§ Positively impacts issue framing
§ Diversity profile statement
§ Inclusion
§ Diversity Champions
22

41. Board Candidate Selection
§ Current and future needs
§ Diversity
§ Selection criteria
23
Click here for full list of attributes

42. Governance Development
24

43. Cycle of Strategy Development
§ Strategy development is
an ongoing process, not a
retreat
§ Engaging with components
throughout the year
Ø Ensures solid market
position awareness
Ø Contributes to development
of good strategy
Ø Builds the strategic capacity
of the organization
25

44. Strategy Components
§ Core ideology
Ø Core purpose
Ø Core values
§ Mission
§ Stakeholder audit
§ Environmental
scanning
§ Competitor analysis
§ Competitive
advantages
§ Strategy document
§ Operations
integration
§ Strategy review
§ Board meeting
materials and
dialogue

45. Strategy Development Formula

46. PERSONAL ACTION PLAN
What will I commit to do differently?
How will I know if I am making progress?
What are my next steps?

48. Email:
Robert@NSCstrategies.com
Twitter:
@Rbt_Nelson
Web:
www.NSCstrategies.com
Phone:
475-235-1210