This post concludes the series on board effectiveness evaluation with a somewhat disparate collection of observations and reflections. Some of the ideas and charts included here might have been quite relevant in earlier parts of the series, but if they were not available at that time, their inclusion here acts as an amplification and reinforcement… Continue reading How effective is your board? – Part 6
Tag: organisational effectiveness
How effective is your board? – Part 5
Board Effectiveness Diagnostics Notwithstanding the shortcomings of simple surveys (e.g. one size does not fit all, tick-the-box mentality, etc.), boards can use checklists as mechanisms to ‘take the pulse’ or to perform basic compliance checks. The most fundamental diagnostics your board could use relate to legal and governance compliance – both as regards board effectiveness,… Continue reading How effective is your board? – Part 5
How effective is your board? – Part 4
Reflective Governance Directors of most non-profit boards are volunteers who are time-poor. In my experience, some are reluctant to have their work evaluated, partly because they feel insulted that their honorary work is being opened to critical review (as they see it) as if they were remunerated. And yet, when given the opportunity to identify… Continue reading How effective is your board? – Part 4
How effective is your board? – Part 2
Part 1 of this series on board effectiveness noted that the evaluation of board effectiveness is just one aspect of your overall Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning Model (and that this in turn is just part of your MELD Governance Model). It also suggested that there are various dimensions of board effectiveness, each of which includes… Continue reading How effective is your board? – Part 2
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
Interdependency, Mutual Dependency, and Co-dependency in your NFP
While the terms interdependency, mutual dependency, and co-dependency sound similar, it is important to distinguish between them if a healthy culture is to be nurtured in your non-profit. Beware co-dependency A co-dependent relationship has been described as a shared psychological condition (meaning pathology) in which ‘one party needs the other party, who in turn, needs… Continue reading Interdependency, Mutual Dependency, and Co-dependency in your NFP
Integrity – greater than the sum of its aspects
Integrity – Part 1 Integrity can be thought of as a ‘cluster’ concept, which, when taking into account all its subtle variations, is greater than the sum of its aspects. It is not so much a ‘slippery’ concept as one which reveals its many facets through the words it is paired with. Some common pairings… Continue reading Integrity – greater than the sum of its aspects
From Proposal to Decision – your meeting ‘machinery’
A focus on meeting ‘machinery’ could imply ‘a victory of process over substance‘ in board decision-making. My experience in a range of government, corporate, and non-profit settings however, tells me that getting your decision-making systems into good working order is a key success factor in supporting substantive board decisions. Something as simple as structuring your… Continue reading From Proposal to Decision – your meeting ‘machinery’
Blockers or Enablers? The 3 lines of defence
Just as strategic mindsets can be framed in polarised pairs like Growth Vs Fixed, or Solution Vs Problem Oriented, risk management mindsets can also be described as Blocking or Enabling (see header illustration). While reducing any complex matter to a simple binary choice can lead to distorted thinking, when considering your risk mindset it is… Continue reading Blockers or Enablers? The 3 lines of defence
Driving value or being driven by fear
A response to ‘apocalyptic’ change narratives Some people love horror movies. They enjoy the adrenaline pumping through them as they imagine themselves the victims of some malign character or force, all the while knowing that it is a fantasy – a waking dream from which they will wake when the movie ends. There is an… Continue reading Driving value or being driven by fear