PM1 presentation from NCVO / BWB Trustee Conference 2013. Ruth Lesirge, Founder and Trustee, Association of Chairs Ros Oakley, Founder and Trustee, Association of Chairs. http://www.ncvo.org.uk/training-and-events/trustee-conference

1. PM1: Working well – meeting
the challenges all chairs face
Ruth Lesirge, Founder and Trustee, Association
of Chairs
Ros Oakley, Founder and Trustee, Association
of Chairs

2. Purpose of today
• Consider the role – and differing demands
made on the Chair of a not for profit
• Investigate needs and wants
• Explore ways of supporting Chairs

3. Introductions
• Who we are
• Who is in the room?

4. Governing Effectively
• As a Chair or Vice Chair, what has been
most helpful to you in leading your board?
• As a trustee or CEO, what has helped
your Chair be effective?
• What aspect of chairing keeps you awake
at night?

5. Fill in card
• Helpful
• Keeps me awake

6. Research: Literature Review
• Brief developed in collaboration with
NCVO
• Conducted by Anjelica Finnegan
• Available on our website:
www.associationofchairs.org.uk

7. Our questions
• What influence do Chairs have on the
effectiveness of the organisations they
chair?
• Attempts made to identify the
characteristics of effective Chairs/chairing?
• How Chairs add most value/cause most
damage and how big the problem of poor
chairing is?

8. And . . .
• What assessment has been made of
interventions that improve the chair’s
effectiveness?
• What are the motivations of non profit
chairs?
• How are they selected?
• What problems do Chairs face?

9. Influence on the effectiveness of the
organisation
• Largely based on perceptions of key
actors
• Exceptional chairs provided stability and
helped morale during major crises
• Poor chairs contributed to ‘slow death’

10. Characteristics of effective
Chairs
• Motivation and style
• Capacity to lead
• Personal attributes
• Ability to relate
• Ability to advance the organisation
externally

11. How do Chairs add most value or
cause most damage?
• On Board
• On Organisation
• On CEO

12. More questions . . .
• What is the relationship between the
characteristics of the organisation and
what is needed of the chair?
• Is there a life- cycle for Chairs?
• What makes an exceptional chair?
• How do organisations respond to poorly
performing chairs?
• What is the best way to recruit a charity
chair?

13. Where next . . .
• Forming a research panel
• Aim to fundraise for a programme of
research
• With NCVO planning quantitative as well
as qualitative research
• Interested in your views

14. Models that help us think about
board leadership
• Unwin
• Lencioni
• ACEVO
• Adair

15. Thinking about governance leadership –
ACEVO
Chair
CEO
Staff and volunteers
The board

16. Inattention
to results
Avoidance of
accountability
Lack of commitment
Fear of conflict
Absence of trust
5 dysfunctions of team Lencioni

17. Thinking about governance
leadership - Adair
Task
IndividualTeam

18. Thinking about governance
leadership - Unwin
“Attending to the business; attending to the mission”
Governance leadership role is therefore to ensure.....
• Stewardship
• Strategy
• Support
• Stretch
• Scrutiny
Julia Unwin October 2010

19. Code of Good Governance
1. Understanding of role
2. Ensuring delivery of organisational purpose
3. Working effectively as individuals and a team
4. Exercising effective control
5. Behaving with integrity
6. Being open and accountable
Good Governance
– a code for the voluntary and community sector (2nd edition October
2010)

20. Top Tips for effective chairing…
1. Trustee-only time
2. Consent agendas
3. Rolling annual calendar
4. Trustee appraisal
5. Chair review
6. Budget for trustee development
7. Fixed terms for trustees
8. Trustee ‘buddy’ scheme
9. Coach/mentor for Chair
10. Confidential peer exchange

21. Thank you
Contact us:
www.associationofchairs.org.uk
ruth.lesirge@associationofchairs.org.uk
ros.oakley@associationofchairs.org.uk