Blog Entries - 2023

Tip #100 Should Your Board Consider Adopting the Policy Governance Model of Board Operations?

December 31, 2023  |  tips for effective boards

In writing these Tips for Effective Boards, I have tried to make them relevant to all boards whether they practice the Policy Governance model or not. However, I’m sure that regular readers of these Tips are aware

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Tip #98 How Can Boards Use Executive Sessions Effectively and Appropriately?

November 1, 2023  |  tips for effective boards

First of all, what exactly do we mean by executive sessions? Executive sessions (referred to as in camera sessions in Canada) are special sessions of the board from which non-board members are generally excluded.

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Tip #97 What Information Should a Board Focus On?

October 1, 2023  |  tips for effective boards

Before turning to some guidelines, it may be helpful to review the different kinds of information that a Board may focus on. Policy Governance®, I believe, may have a helpful categorization of such information. The

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Tip #96 How Can the Performance of Individual Board Members Be Assessed?

September 1, 2023  |  tips for effective boards

Some ideas for assessing the performance of individual board members follow: Each board member completes an annual self-evaluation of their performance that includes educational needs and shares this with the board

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Tip #95 How Can Boards Assess Their Own Performance?

August 1, 2023  |  tips for effective boards

Some ideas for boards assessing their own performance follow:   1.       Ongoing self-monitoring of board performance. A board can monitor its performance related to its board job description and any other

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Tip #94 Should Boards Follow Robert's Rules of Order?

July 1, 2023

  Let’s begin by talking briefly about the origin of Robert’s Rules of Order. Robert’s Rules of Order, a manual of parliamentary procedure, was developed by U. S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert and was first

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Tip #93 How Many Board Policies Should a Board of Directors Have?

June 1, 2023  |  tips for effective boards

In my consulting work with boards of directors, I have worked with boards that have few to no board policies and with boards that have over 400 board policies. Imagine being on a board with over 400 policies. Can you be

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Tip #92 Determine Your Organization's "Why," Its Purpose

May 1, 2023  |  tips for effective boards

Having a clear understanding of your organization’s purpose or why it exists is critical to your organization’s success. And, without an understanding of what constitutes your organization’s success, how can you

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