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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/08/2016 00 Misc Distributed at the MeetingDistributed at the Meeting -;?'�/ k- Workshop on Board Governance The general meaning of each Latin word is clear Pluribus is related to the English word: "plural " Unum is related to the English word- "unit " EPluribus Unum describes an action Many uniting into one. An accurate translation of the motto is "Out of many, one" — a phrase that elegantly captures the symbolism on the shield. SESSION WlAfEA . 'S► Presented by ALfA MESA GROUP_ A FL66c agency carnsrdParc� L No man is good enough to govern another man without the other's consent. Abraham Lincoln Government is a trust, and the officers of the government are trustees. And both the trust and the trustees are created for the benefit of the people. Henry Clay The government is us; we are the government, you and I Theodore Roosevelt E Pluribus Unum Governing Board Effectiveness Presented by ALTA MESA GROUP A pubic constdwncy. ® 2016. Alta Mesa Group LLC All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means :.vitheut prior written permission of the copyright owner William "Bill" Chiat Bill Chiat is Dean of the California State Association of Counties Institute for Excellence in County Government and President of Alta Mesa Group, LLC His expertise spans over AC years in local and state governments He served as County Executive Officer of Napa County and Director of Organizational Effectiveness for Santa Barbara County, along with executive positions in city and special district governments At the state level, he served as Executive Director of the Arizona Governor's Office for Excellence in Government and served on the Cabinet, and as executive director of the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions Bill provides organizational development, executive development and facilitation services for local governments throughout the West, and is an instructor in the UC- Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy executive programs Bill has a B S from the University of Minnesota, a M S from the University of Michigan and is a graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University He has research and taught a wide range of courses in public agency leadership, structure, governance and operations Leadership — Agility — Resourcefulness Bill works to expand leadership capacity and capabilities of those in public service so they may better serve their communities and advance their personal and agency goals www altamesagroup com Bill can be reached at bill @altamesagroup com Moving from to `one' `out of Many' Building Blocks of Effective Board Governance 1 Unity of Purpose 2. Role of the Board 3 Board Culture 4. Board Structure and Process Effective Boards do Eight Things Well Have a clear unity of purpose Are focused on task and consistent Operate with integrity and trust Treat each other with dignity and respect Govern within Board policies, standards and ethics Take collective responsibility for the Board's performance Ensure multiple voices from the community are heard Three Realities for Board Members 1. You campaigned as an individual but serve as a member of a team 2. You do not have the authority as an individual to fix the problems you campaigned to fix 3. Your success as a Board member is inextricably tied to the success of your Board A Unity of Purpose * Finding common ground 41 How the Board wants to be known in the community What the Board believes, stands for as a governance team What the Board wants to accomplish Building a Culture of Trust and Respect The members shape the culture 1 "Exempiary boards are irobust, effective social systems." Jeffrey sonnenfeld -33y The members maintain the culture The members may shift the culture Trust is the result of understanding and respect, it is not agreement Crafting a Sustainable Culture of Trust and Respect Based on beliefs, values and attitudes How members want to act towards each other to live the desired unity of purpose How members want to communicate The Ladder of Inference What we see is colored by what we believe Effective Board members understand how assumptions affect beliefs Question the Reflex Loop Are actions based on all data? Communication *: Practice effective communication at all times Listen actively, empathetically Ask questions for clarification 4- Avoid imputing motive Use '1' messages Pay attention to non - verbal messages 2 Rttitades 3 � snr carciarrt sl Ned. 1°°p' eery. rw A, The Ladder of laferevae The Ftth 1)* ,r4 1.&1dty 1 ii4alk, r� Board Governance Working Together to Accomplish Good Foundations of "Policy" ♦ Values ♦ Perspectives Categories of Board Policy —A Model for Governance ♦ Ends to be Achieved ♦ Executive Limitations to Means ♦ Board - Executive Relationship ♦ Board Process of Governance Focus on Results ♦ Reasons for organization's existence ♦ Clarifying and sustaining mission ♦ Results = Ends = Outcomes = Impacts ♦ Product Benefits to be produced ♦ Recipients For whom ♦ Efficiency At what cost ♦ What good is to be accomplished for which people at what cost? Core Board Products ♦ Linkage to Ownership ♦ Explicit Governing Policies ♦ Assurance of Executive Performance E Pluribus Unum ♦ Pursuing Pluribus ♦ Achieving Unum Adopted from Carver, J 1997 Boards That Make a Difference A new design for leadership in nonprofit � AITA MESA GROUP and public organizations Jossey -Bass Publishers, San Francisco. 3 Building Blocks of Effective Governance 1. Clear Sense and Unity of Purpose 2. Common Definition of Roles and Relationships Culture of Team Success Based on Integrity, Trust and Respect 4. Structure and Process Focused on Ends Sense and Unity of Purpose Reason to exist A common focus on the value the organization brings to the lives of its residents and businesses The core values and key goals the board members hold in common about the community and the services the organization provides The clear sense and unity of purpose helps members transcend their differences to fulfill a greater purpose The Reality You campaigned or were appointed as an individual, but serve as a member of a team. You don't have authority as an individual to fix the problems your campaigned or seek to fix Your success as a governing board member is inextricably tied to the success of your board and your staff Roles and Relationships The Board's responsibility for itself: A common understanding of how the Individuals will work together to accomplish the unity of purpose Effective boards have a well- defined definition of their function. The performance of that role and the relationships among members must be defined through conversation, mutual definition of those behaviors and practices expected of the chair and members, and mutual responsibility for the board's performance Strong Boards need strong staff Recognition that the role of the board and Its professional staff are truly separate With the complexity of governance in today's organizations, the balance is less one in which there are firm boundaries to roles, and more one in which community members, the board and professional staff view themselves as mutually 0 2015. Aka Mesa Group, LLC All rights reserved No reproduction without pare ission. www alamesagroup.com supportive partners In the unity of purpose, problem solving, and the delivery of organization services Board's Focus on Ends Coal setting — retreats Exploration and analysis — study sessions Disposition and policy — regular meetings Community connection — stay in touch with the community and bring members into processes Resource stewardship — effective direction to staff Culture of Team Success How the Board leads as a team- '1i �* How collectively and Individually the board models and practices behaviors which Inspire others, drives performance, shares authority and responsibility and demonstrates a caring about people, the community and the unity of purpose. As a team, board members va!!le differences whsle recogniz ;ng the Importance of finding common ground. Trust is built around understanding and respect, not necessarily agreement Successful boards appreciate the profound influence of Interpersonal practices on governance and strive to develop expected norms Focus on Ends Bifocal vision — Board is forward thinking both on Immediate ends and creation of policies with a long -range perspective on ends Immediate ends are aligned with long term priorities Board has a shared understanding of how It wants to be known by the community, and shared values to achieve it Strategic agility— Board manages diversions to avert detours and focus its efforts and those of the staff on the Immediate ends and collective goals It guides these "means" through clear and consistent policies and expectations of outcomes Division of Responsibilities in Board - Executive Local Government ENDS Manager Policy Policy Advice GOVERNING CHIEF BOARD EXECUTIVE Board Oversight MEANS Administration Model of Governance in Local Government Typical Tasks Determine purpose of organization, establish long -term vision, determine services and service levels, set strategic goals and priorities Pass ordinances, approve projects and programs, ratify budget, identify ends and outcomes, establish values and perspectives in policy Make kev implementation decisions (i.e. siting), handle complaints, oversee administration, set decision boundaries, review performance measures Suggest management changes to manager, approve labor and other major contracts, review performance of organization in manager review B Mission Vision A A R ® •. x : s E Admi anon Man ent V s E Typical Tasks Advise, options, past practice, analyze conditions and trends, identify constraints Make recommen- dations on all decisions, formulate budget, determine service distribution formulae, create implementation plans (means) Establish practices and procedures, rake decisions for implementing policy, monitor performance Control human, financial, material, and informational resources of organization to support policy and administrative functions Adopted from Svara, J.H., 1985 Dichotomy and Duality Reconceptuahzing the Relationship between Policy and Administration in Council- Manager Cities In Public Administration Review 45 228, and Carver, J ,1997 Boards that Make a Difference A New Design for Leadership in Nonprofit and Public Organizations. Jossey -Bass Publishers, San Francisco 6 Towards Board Governance Effective governing boards are built on a framework to guide their thoughts, actions, structure and relationships. Ideal elements include: 1 "Cradle" vision Systematic encouragement to think the unthinkable and to dream. N Explicitly address fundamental values The board is the guardian of organizational values; it focuses on deliberations and explicit pronouncements on those values 3 Force an external focus Be more concerned with external responsiveness than with the internal issues of organizational mechanics 4 Enable an outcome - driven organizing system Establish an outcome -based mission and procedurally enforce the mission as the central organizing focus. S Separate large issues from small ones Spend time on the large issues. 6. Force forward thinking Strategic leadership demands the long -term viewpoint and the majority of the board's thinking on the future. 7. Enable productivity Boards press towards leading and not reacting, more in creating than in approving 8. Facilitate diversity and unity Optimize the richness of board composition and opinion, yet still assimilate the variety into one voice. 9. Describe relationships to relevant constituencies Boards are both trustees and accountable to constituencies and therefore must define how these accountabilities coexist in their governance 10 Define a common basis for discipline How the board governs practices self - discipline; to stick to its job description and rules of governance 11 Delineate the board's role in common topics The role of the board and the executive on any topic is clear. 12 Determine what information is needed Precise distinctions about the amount of information that is needed: not too much, too little, too late, or simply wrong. 13 Balance overcontrol and undercontrol Clarify those aspects of management which need tight versus loose control; avoid being a "rubber- stamper" or a "micromanager." 14. Use board time effectively Sort out what really needs to be done to enable boards to use the precious gift of time more productively Adopted from Boards That Make A Difference, John Carver, 2006, Jossey -Bass, San Francisco 7 Worksheet for Creating Board Protocols Structure and process agreements about how we operate and do business Is this an issue Do we need a Rate 1 -3 or concern? Board protocol? 1 =1ow /3 =high priority Developing the board meeting agenda Structure of the board agenda Placing Items on the board agenda Agenda questions answered before a meeting Sticking to the agenda Using meetings as political tools Collaboration on single district issues Informal board reports at board meetings Allowing majority vote to set the direction Preparation for meetings Civility in discussions amongst board members Treating each other with respect Treating staff with respect Treating public with respect Bringing agenda items back for further discussion Explaining 'no' votes Board meeting management, length of meetings Sharing expertise Bringing up new ideas or issues Revoting on issues Seating arrangement at the board table Placement of CAO and staff in the board room Requesting information from staff by the board Is this an issue Do we need a Rate 1 -3 or concern? Board protocol? 1 =1ow /3 =high priority Individual supervisors requests for information Individual supervisor requests for action or directing staff Handling complaints from the community Handling complaints from the staff Addressing concerns of the community Role of the chair Use of committees Use of study sessions; scheduling of study sessions Confidentiality of closed sessions Board member role in the community Board member engagement in other's districts Board /board communications Board /CAO communications Board /staff communications Self- monitoring of governance team effectiveness Board member assignments to commissions, advisory committees, external agencies Others Rate your sense of the trust level amongst the board members. LOW 0 HIGH 1 2 3 4 5