How long is your governance ‘year’?

Need for a key dates calendar Some of the smaller associations and community groups I have worked with have no staff, so volunteer directors and committee members are charged with doing all the work involved in running the organisation. I recently assisted one such group with the establishment of a Governance Committee, and part of… Continue reading How long is your governance ‘year’?

Organisational ‘Archy’-tecture

We have referenced ‘enterprise architecture‘ previously when describing the system ‘layers’ which make up a nonprofit’s ‘system of systems’. The whimsical title of this post seeks to broaden the lens to consider the relationship between organisational structure and functions (including products and services). The term ‘architecture‘ shares linguistic roots with numerous terms used to describe… Continue reading Organisational ‘Archy’-tecture

Creating Value using an integrated (multi-capital) approach

Value creation is a key function of every board and adding value is central to the roles of both directors and senior managers, but what do we mean when we refer to value in this way? The Capitals Coalition is a global collaboration that seeks to redefine value in order to transform decision-making. They recognise… Continue reading Creating Value using an integrated (multi-capital) approach

Are we there yet? Evaluating NFP outputs, outtakes, outcomes & impact

Evaluation – Part 2 Evaluation is one of the central elements in the EDM (Evaluate, Direct, Monitor) Governance Model, but its role in governance (and management) is often obscured by the use of other terms, like ‘problem-solving’ or ‘decision-making’. The importance of evaluation in non-profit governance is highlighted in the extracts from AICD’s NFP Governance… Continue reading Are we there yet? Evaluating NFP outputs, outtakes, outcomes & impact

Sledgehammer or scalpel? Governance capability development

(Part 3 – ‘Duty of Care, Skill and Diligence’ series) “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Abraham Maslow While it may seem obvious that non-profit directors require a set of skills to perform their duties, elections or appointments… Continue reading Sledgehammer or scalpel? Governance capability development

Circles of Control: personal, group and organisational

Since my previous post, I have been discussing with some of my clients the ways in which the ‘circle of control’ concept can be applied at the personal, business unit and organisational levels. This short post arises from those reflections, and can therefore be considered a postscript to the previous one. While the visual metaphor… Continue reading Circles of Control: personal, group and organisational