“Of all that a Board member can bring to the governance table, nothing is more important than enthusiasm bordering on passion… merely providing oversight is no longer an adequate role. Serving on a board is not honorific nor is it just a matter of showing up to provide oversight. It means engaging a trustees’ lifetime of experience and common sense to be an activist in supporting a mission, those who benefit from the organization’s good works and those dedicated to realizing a vision.” (From Becoming a First-Rate Board by Paul Taylor.)
Good governance is everything in our field. It drives mission, strategy, brand, and the future of every organization. In contrast, ineffective governance can derail all this—and more. It all starts with who is on your board. Are they dedicated to your vision with enthusiasm and activism? Vision is aspiration. Vision is forward-looking. Vision is bold. Vision does not mean hanging on to the status quo—no matter how successful you believe you are today.
We are in a time of change and disruption. While no one has a crystal ball or a lock on the truth of exactly how things will unfold, we do know it won’t be like today. There are drivers that can’t be ignored: technology, boomer expectations, health care, and payment reform among them.
Board conversations need to go beyond the month-to-month finances to the “what ifs” and “how-tos”. How to stay relevant? How to develop an innovative culture? How to recognize that business models must change? How to understand—or imagine—how the drivers will impact my organization? We are all too familiar with examples of organizations and companies that have failed to ask and answer these questions. Blockbuster, Kodak, and now Ford Motor Company who recently announced that it is eliminating 10% of its global workforce because not only have consumer preferences changed but technology in the form of autonomous vehicles is playing a bigger role for which they did not adequately plan.
Having trustees who are bringing a lifetime of experience and common sense to drive a vision that can successfully power through change and disruption is key to our individual and collective success. They must be willing to ask and answer the hard and often unpopular questions. Discerning these attributes in individuals as you are considering potential board members is essential. Look for enthusiasm bordering on passion, with a heavy dose of common sense.
I’d love to hear more about what you are doing and talking about around your boardroom tables. Please let me know and let’s share with others.