jacqueline williams 16 may 2012 board governance and relationships with staff cass centre for...

Jacqueline Williams16 May 2012

Board Governance and relationships with staff

Cass Centre for Charity EffectivenessIntellectual leadership: developing talent, enhancing performance

To start

“The role and importance of the charity board has been transformed in the last 15 years”

Centre for Charity Effectiveness

The importance of the charity board

• Charity law• Company law• Constitution• Funding agreements• Employment law• Charity board= accountable.


The role of the Board?

3 perspectives:• The agency or stewardship model• The political or democratic perspective• The managerial model.

Source: Boards that Work: A guide for Charity Trustees. David Fishel. DSC 2003



The agency or stewardship modelBoard “controls” the behaviour of managers, who tend to act in own interestBoard’s role is stewardship of organisation’s resources




The political or democratic perspective• Board members represent the interests of different stakeholders• And to express or resolve the differences between those

interest groups• No particular expertise required.




The managerial modelThe board is at the apex of a management hierarchy.Ideas and practice from management are considered appropriate to governance also.So board members should be chosen on basis of expertise and contacts.




Applies Herzberg to Boards• “Hygiene factors” need to be addressed first i.e. Law, finance,

etc• Then motivation making a difference, applying the managerial

model.




What makes a good trustee?• “the most rewarding thing about being a trustee is seeing things

happen in the community”• The most rewarding thing about being a trustee is watching

young people develop, grow in confidence and fulfil their objectives”.

Source: The Charity Trustee’s Handbook: Mike Eastwood: CAF and DSC 2001



Why refuse to be a trustee?

“if you don’t agree with, or can’t become excited about what the charity is doing, don’t become a trustee.”

Source: The Charity Trustee’s Handbook: Mike Eastwood: CAF and DSC 2001


Belbin’s team roles

• Monitor Evaluator :needed to provide a logical eye, make impartial judgements where required and to weigh up the team’s options in a dispassionate way.



• A team is not a bunch of people with job titles, but a congregation of individuals, each of whom has a role which is understood by other members. Members of a team seek out certain roles and they perform most effectively in the ones that are most natural to them.

Dr. R. M. Belbin



• The Planthighly creative and good at solving problems in unconventional ways.



• Shapersprovide the necessary drive to ensure that the team keeps moving and does not lose focus or momentum.



• The key is balance• As well as the strength or contribution they provide, each Team

Role also has an associated allowable weakness. Dr. R. M. Belbin


How might this apply to charity boards?

• “..mixing professionally qualified trustees and beneficiary representatives”

And

• “performance and relationships between the Board and CEO and staff have not alwaysbeen trouble free”.


Board and staff relationships

• The board is a team• The board and staff are also a team?• There is also a staff team• The Board works in and with all these Teams.



Ask the questions:• Who do we need: Board, CEO, SMT?• Who do we have: Board, SMT?• Are we effective in how we work- meetings,

information flow, interface?



NDCS• Do: Big Picture, Leadership, scrutinise, monitor, challenge• Don'ts: manage day to day, bypass CEO• A more managerial model?



What model are we using, is it the right one?• Understand role: CC3 (board primarily)• Manage Risks: CC26 (Board, staff team)• Understand and manage finances: CC8 (Finance Committee?)• Assess effectiveness: CC 10, Governance Code, governance

review (ALL).



• Managing changeManaging change is about helping organisations, teams and individuals make sense of and adapt to the changes happening around them.

More at:knowhownonprofit



• Managing changeSuccessful change starts with understanding in detail the change you want to see.

More at: knowhownonprofit



Manage (and Avoid) conflict•Understand each other’s role (Board, CEO, SMT)•Delegated powers•Roles, responsibilities•Code of conduct•Review regularly•Make change.


Have you got it right?

Some questions:Do all stakeholders (board, staff etc) spend time occasionally discussing the ethos or values which underpin their work?



Some questions:Do all stakeholders understand how the organisation’sactivities further organisational objects and reflect corporate values?



Some questions:Do we regularly consult with members, service users, staff, volunteers etc about how we could develop?• i.e. just stewardship • effective democratic/political model,• ideal management model, service users + professionals on

board



Yes• Document• Celebrate• Share• Beware:



RS6: - Milestones: Managing key events in the life of a charity

• From birth• To death• And everything in between!!



No• What is wrong?• Why?• What needs to change?• How will we change?• How will we know we have got it right?• Lessons learnt.


Contact details

Jacqueline WilliamsPrincipal Consultant

Centre for Charity EffectivenessCass Business School106 Bunhill RowLondon EC1Y 8TZ

T: +44 (0) 20 7040 0901M: +44 (0) 79 8607 4473

E: [email protected] W: www.cass.city.ac.uk/cce


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.cass.city.ac.uk/cce

jacqueline williams 16 may 2012 board governance and relationships with staff cass centre for...

Documents

charity effectiveness

charity trustees handbook

board governance

boards role

stewardship model board

performance slide

years centre

david fishel