This document discusses creating and sustaining a culture of inquiry for boards. It defines a culture of inquiry as engaged boards that think differently through new framing and learning. Key aspects that build a culture of inquiry include trust, information sharing, teamwork and dialogue. The document provides tips for boards to encourage inquiry, such as setting goals, preparing for meetings, engaging in debate, and allocating time for deliberation. It also discusses issues to avoid that hinder inquiry, such as micromanaging. The overall message is that sustaining a culture of inquiry requires engaging people, meaningful processes and dynamic organizational values.

2.  Why is this topic important?
 Culture of Inquiry:
 What is it?
 What is it not?
 How can your Board create and sustain a Culture of
Inquiry?
 Current issues that encourage a Culture of Inquiry.

3.  What does a Culture of Inquiry
mean to you?
 What does it look like?

7.  Different thinking: new ways of framing,
making sense, learning.
 More engaged boards.
 Greater board effectiveness.

8. Trust
Information
Sharing
Teamwork
Dialogue
Building
Blocks:
Culture of
Inquiry
(Axelrod, 2007)

9. “We must resist the urge to
assume that task and
structure are the sum total
of governance. We can more
easily do this if we shift our
thinking from “What is
governing?” to “Toward
what ends are we
governing?”
(Trower, 2013)
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10. (Chait, Ryan & Taylor, 2005)

11.  Set goals.
 Require preparation and thinking prior to the
meeting.
 Ensure the right amount of data:
 Highlights
 Executive summaries
 Dashboards
 Engage in dialogue and debate:
 Stage a debate: 1/3 make case for; 1/3 make case
against; 1/3 listen – and reflect what they learned.
(Trower, 2015)

12.  Allocate time for deliberations, separate from
decisions.
 Annual work plan for generative discussions.
 Use small groups to take deep dives on
consequential issues.
 Distribute leadership.
 Invite various board members to lead discussions, etc.
 Rotate board members who summarize each month’s
meeting highlights.
(Trower, 2015)

13.  Role play.
 Highlight generative opportunities during
routine fiduciary and strategic discussions.
 Create future-perfect stories re: moving from
present to ideal, future state (vision).

14.  Disrupt ‘routine, expected’ meetings:
 Meet in different places, spaces.
 Ensure informal time to get to know one
another.
 Use visual cues:
 Mind maps
 Post-it notes on walls
 Do a “temperature check” during meetings.

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16.  Micro-managing.
 Meddling.
 Questioning every issue or
recommendation.
 Procrastinating.
 Indecision.
 Shifting inquiry to an extreme,
unproductive level.

17.  No magic formulas:
 Agendas
 Questions
 Frameworks, etc.
 Engaging the people at the table
 Board/CEO collaboration
 Productive, meaningful engagement
 Sustainable culture, processes, values
 DNA of the organization
 Dynamic tension
 Culture of Inquiry

18. Your CEO brought forward a comprehensive briefing
paper about End of Life Care programs in your CCAC.
Because the funds are minimal, your CEO has
suggested that the Board may want to ‘make this a
case’ and go to the government regarding their
expectations – and lack of funding.
As dialogue around the issue ensues, your Board
starts questioning whether this is the right step.
Someone suggests that your Board “look fresh” at
this issue and engage in a generative conversation.

19.  What questions would you ask from a:
 Fiduciary perspective?
 Strategic perspective?
 Generative perspective?

20.  What one step can you take to
promote a culture of inquiry
in your boardroom?
 Individually?
 Collectively?

21.  Based on your experience:
 What has exemplified – or come closest to a culture
of inquiry within your boardroom?
 What did that look like?
 Who were the key players involved?
 What helped?
 What could have been done differently?

22. Gwen DuBois-Wing
Sandra J. Hanmer
DuBois-Wing + Associates
Email: gdubois-wing@tbaytel.net