orientation for public library board
DESCRIPTION
An overview of the Board's 3 key responsibilities and building 15 minutes into each meeting to discuss strategic issues. With special mention of Dr. Ken Haycock from whom I have learned so much about Board governance.TRANSCRIPT
Non-Profit Boards Smart, Effective, Fulfilling
Ensuring Board are:
Smart Effective
Fulfilling
Board Responsibility
Strategy
CEO Public
Standing & Ethical Integrity
Base assumptions
Want to make a difference
Prepared to make a difference
Believe that the Library does & can make a difference
Best libraries have the best Boards
Different perspectives & perceptions
Base assumption
Boards lose the effectiveness & collective as well as individual fulfillment when: Lack of common vision for the Library Blurring of Board/Patron/Operational responsibility As soon as you become a Board member you cease
being the Library client you once were & will be again when you are no longer on the Board
If staff come to you about issues, direct them to the CEO
Board Responsibility
Strategy
CEO Public
Standing & Ethical Integrity
Essential questions
Am I willing to invest the time to create common voice for our Board and a clear sense of strategy?
Am I willing to work with the Board to focus on our roles?
Am I willing to delegate to staff the means of implementation? Am I willing to avoid micromanagement and administration?• And I willing to be fair, consistent and constructive in feedback to the CEO?
Thank you to Dr. Ken Haycock for these, & for teaching me about Boards
Essential questions
Can I acknowledge that the CEO directs the staff, not the Board?
Am I willing to invest the time in planning meetings to ensure success? [generate items; develop criteria; apply criteria]
Am I willing to invest in improvement? [feedback; retreats; process observer]
Am I willing to model the behaviors that the Board values? [consensus building? starting/finishing on time? moving the agenda forward?]
Am I willing to invest my time in improving the public standing of the Library? Developing meaningful, effective relationships with council and the Town?
Thank you to Dr. Ken Haycock for these, & for teaching me about Boards
Where are you?
Smart Effective
Fulfilling
Strategy • Doesn’t happen overnight • Build generative or
strategic issue discussions into every agenda
What’s an issue for your strategy?
Google searching
“Rowing is the only activity in which people can sit on their backsides, look backwards & still make progress.”
Ken Haycock
Public Standing & Ethical Integrity
• Financials • Council & City Relationships • Library Positive Positioning • Board Recruitment &
Succession Planning
CEO
