A well-planned orientation of new board members is vital to the maintenance ofgood governance

Surviving the Transition: Reigniting the Passion by Randee Loucks

When new members join a Policy Governance board, it is imperative that they be thor- oughly oriented to the the0 y and practice of the model. Well-planned orientation not only ensures that new members will be stewards ofgood governance but also helps vet- eran members revitalize their own commitment to the model. In this article, Randee Loucks breaks down orientation into a logical five-step process.

s PRACTITIONERS of Policy Governance, A we probably remember what led us to the model. Perhaps a critical incident led the board to Boards That Make a Difference. Maybe we saw a Policy Governance board in action. We might even have been lucky enough to attend a session with a qualified Policy Governance presenter.

Whatever those initial experiences and circumstances were, we also remember the process of becoming a Policy Governance board. It was exciting to explore a new gov- ernance model, discover how it worked, and see the possibility of a solution to long- standing problems. The intensity of draft- ing policies that would form the framework of the organization was a process that cre- ated camaraderie and passion among the board. That passion likely continued for several months, even years, until key board members retired and the survivors were left to carry the torch.

It is difficult to re-create those dynam- ics when new members join the board. It goes without saying that orientation is enormously important. A strong orienta- tion to the model is key in igniting the passion in newcomers. It is also impor- tant in helping the remaining members survive the transition.

How does the board “keep the fire going” throughout changes in its mem- bership? Policy Governance requires a significant commitment of time, resources, and discipline. Orientation is a great opportunity for seasoned board members to share their passion with newcomers. In fact, orientation of new

members should be the final task of indi- viduals who are retiring from the board.

As I see it, there are five phases in the orientation of new members. Each phase plays a unique role in building a solid foundation in Policy Governance. The first phase of orientation is recruitment. This is followed by the decision phase, during which potential new members have time to learn more about Policy Governance and choose whether they will take up the chal- lenge offered by such a board or not. The next phase consists of the actual orienta- tion session, followed closely by a phase of integration into the group dynamics of the board. Finally, there is a need for ongoing support throughout the first year.

Recruitment Phase

Boards should be thinking about recruit- ing new members throughout their terms. Key to this is a policy reference to recruitment. Such a policy would be one that extends and adds further detail to a broader policy the board might already have on ensuring its own governance capability. Recruitment policies extend beyond finding new members to support- ing the transition from old to new boards and should answer a number of ques- tions: How will you encourage new mem- bers to join the board? How will you interest them in Policy Governance? How will you maintain optimum functioning while integrating new members?

Formalizing the boards values on recruitment in policy strengthens the com- mitment to sustaining Policy Governance.

Let me provide an example. Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS) has been practicing Policy Governance since 1994. SOLS‘S policy on recruitment identifies the characteristics SOLS seeks in its board members (big-picture, forward thinkers who are open-minded, disciplined, toler- ant of different styles, and accepting of the Policy Governance approach) and sets out how members are recruited.

SOLS is an arms-length agency of the provincial government. Its board mem- bers come from two sources: direct appointment by the minister responsible for public libraries, and election from among trustees of public library boards within SOLS jurisdiction. Each of the two hundred library boards sends a represen- tative to one of eight regional trustee councils. The board is currently preparing for an election of new board members by these councils in the spring of 2002 and discussed how it would approach recruit- ment at a recent board meeting.

Current board members will make a presentation at each fall trustee council meeting and encourage interested trustees to let their names stand for election in the spring. The presentation will stress the characteristics SOLS is seeking in new members, among them a willingness to work in a Policy Governance environment. The presentation will outline the Policy Governance model, giving particular attention to the boards job description. Interested trustees will leave these meet- ings with a printed handout that describes the job of the board members and directs them to further information about the model. Since the trustee council meetings are settings in which the board connects regularly with its ownership, they are nat- ural opportunities for recruitment.

Personal Decision Phase

This phase of orientation affords some time for potential board members to delve deeper into the model and think about what may be involved in membership before joining the board. Recruitment information should be readily available and should include resources for self-study such as the primary references listed in the box on page 7. It is helpful to advise

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Surviving Transition (continuedffom page 4)

candidates about any seminars being held in the area in the near future. Interested candidates might also be directed to the organization’s Web site, where minutes of board meetings and summaries of board activities might be posted. They should have a contact number for someone in the organization who can provide further information or answer questions.

Orientation Phase

The next phase is the actual orientation. Perhaps the most important aspect of the orientation session is timing. Bringing in new members prior to their first board meeting is advantageous to their understanding and helps mini- mize down time. Another key aspect is the length of the orientation session. Allowing a full day for orientation ensures enough time for an adequate introduction to the model as well as time

to participate in some activities designed to demonstrate how the model works in practice. Seasoned board members are usually happy to have the review as well.

During the summer, ON Target Consulting and the new International Policy Governance Association held a symposium, “Sustaining Policy Governance,” in Toronto. Miriam Carver gave a presentation dealing with internal and external variables affecting sustain- ability of Policy Governance. She dis- cussed how she uses “rehearsal” as a technique to build a Policy Governance board’s capability. Often employed dur- ing regular meetings, the technique asks participants to solve a series of situations using Policy Governance.

SOLS has in the past used a “mock board meeting,” a variation on the rehearsal approach. The new board members are invited to a special ori- entation meeting in a retreat setting. New board members experience a sam- ple board meeting and have time to ask questions relating directly to board issues

and to talk about how agendas are struc- tured. The format also offers an opportu- nity to review policies, monitoring reports, and other documentation. Another advan- tage to this type of approach is its con- tribution to facilitating the integration phase, easing new members into a group that has been functioning for some time.

Integration Phase

Fitting into a new group can be difficult. New board members need time to under- stand the existing dynamics, and veteran members need to accommodate new- comers. When the entire board is new to Policy Governance, everyone is unsure and exploring new ground together. In some respects, it may be easier for new board members to come onto a function- ing Policy Governance board because the model is already established. Providing time to adjust to the dynamics of a new group is essential.

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PRIMARY POLICY GOVERNANCE REFERENCES John Carver, Boards That Make a Difference:A New Design for Leadership in Nonprofit and

Public Organizations, 2nd edition (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1997). John Carver and Miriam Mayhew Carver, Reinventing Your Board: A Step-by-step Guide

to ImplementingPolicy Governance (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1997). Caroline Oliver, Mike Conduff, Susan Edsall, Carol Gabanna, Randee Loucks, Denise

Paszkiewicz, Catherine Raso, and Linda Stier, The Policy Governance Fieldbook: Practical Lessons, Tips, and Tools from the Experiences of Real- World Boards (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1999).

John Carver, John Carver on Board Leadership (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002).

John Carver and Miriam Mayhew Carver, CarverGuide 1: Basic Principles ofPolicy

John Carver and Miriam Mayhew Carver, CarverGuide 2: Your Roles and Responsibilities

John Carver, CarverGuide 3: Three Steps to Fiduciary Responsibility (San Francisco:

John Carver, CarverGuide 4: The Chairperson’s Role as Servant-Leader to the Board

John Carver, CarverGuide 5: Planning Better Board Meetings (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass,

John Carver, CarverGuide 6: Creatinga Mission ThatMakes a Difference (San Francisco:

John Carver, CarverGuide 7: Board Assessment of the CEO (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass,

John Carver, CarverGuide 8: Board SelfAssessment (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1997). John Carver and Miriam Mayhew Carver, CarVerGui.de 9: Making Diversity Meaningful

John Carver, John Carver on Board Governance: A Video Presentation (San Francisco:

Governance (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996).

us a Board Member (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996).

Jossey-Bass, 1996).

(San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996).

1996).

Jossey-Bass, 1996).

1997).

in the Boardroom (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1997).

Jossey-Bass, 1993). Videotape, 120 minutes.

Democracy Unleashed (continuedffom page 3)

I want to be involved in community governance-governance that starts with community concerns rather than staff concerns or customer concerns. If boards in my community can orga- nize themselves to create a structure for my neighbors and me to operate as owners in a manageable and mean- ingful way, I know that we will partici- pate. Policy Governance allows boards to separate ends from means and to talk to each other at a level that transcends their individual immediate issues to focus on building a viable community that works for everyone. As I jog round my neighborhood, I see a huge new opening for democracy-do you?

Caroline Oliver serves as a consultant on governance development and design. She was general editor of The Policy Governance Fieldbook (Jossey-Bass, 1999) and is cur- rently chair of the International Policy Governance Association. She can be reached at (905) 337-9412 or at coliver@cgocable.net

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Surviving Transition (continuedffom page 7)

Some boards use the Myers-Briggs or some other personality type instrument to strengthen group dynamics and repeat the exercise whenever the majority of the board population changes. There is con- siderable advantage to focusing board attention on differing individual styles and the advantages of each, as well as the overall profile of the board.

5usan Stratton, a symposium partici- pant from Grand Ledge, Michigan, intro- duced the concept that a board that chooses Policy Governance may experi- ence grief at losing the old, comfortable ways of traditional governance. This is surely also an issue for new board mem- bers coming into an established culture of Policy Governance. There must be an opportunity to discuss how things were done in the traditional governance set- ting and how Policy Governance differs, streamlines, and focuses board attention on true governance issues.

Support Phase This final phase should include ongoing support of the new members through the first year of their term. One common technique for providing such support is the buddy or mentor system. An experi- enced board member is teamed with a neophyte, setting up an automatic chan- nel for assistance.

There is frequently a Policy Governance “champion” on the board, someone who perhaps has attended the Policy Governance Academy or who has spent considerable time delving into the model. Such a proponent on the board is useful in keeping the board attuned to the model and helping the board maintain model consistency. This person is a useful resource for new board members as well.

Board Leadership, too, is a very useful tool in the ongoing orientation of new members because many articles over the years have used real-board examples of common issues and problems in Policy Governance. It is therefore an excellent instrument to reinforce the Policy Governance theory. Some boards I have worked with use Board Leadership as a stimulus for board education discussions.

Board members new and old often need help carrying out their jobs. Referring new members to www.carvergovernance. com helps them locate resources and ask questions for clarification.

The International Policy Governance Association is new and promising. My personal hope is that in addition to its stated aims it will eventually act as a clearinghouse of model-consistent Policy Governancerelated information. Visit the association’s Website at www.policygover- nanceassociation.org for more information.

Another tool for ongoing support dur- ing orientation of new members is the organization’s own Web site. A section dedicated to board members can house a variety of articles and resources as well as link to other sites. Setting up a mail group or listserv can also help distribute infor- mation and share common concerns and questions between board meetings. It is easy to imagine a variety of uses for such a section on the organization’s Web site. With name and password identification, board members could access notices of meetings or participate in discussion of interesting topics as they arise in the organization or community. This could alert members to governance issues that require discussion at board meetings, or dispense with those that do not require it.

But Is It Foolproof? Will paying close attention to the discrete phases of orientation ensure that our members are at all times true to Policy Governance? WiU it eliminate the possibil- ity that undisciplined board members may try to commandeer a meeting? The answer is no-there aren’t any guarantees. But paying such close attention to the process reinforces the discipline to withstand the challenges that governing boards face. The best possible insurance is in-depth understanding of Policy Governance for all board members. Continue to include board education on the agenda. Constantly test the model with new problems. Its sim- plicity and common sense can lead the board through the thorniest issue. 0

Randee Loucks is manager of trustee develop- ment for Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS) and advises its board on governance processes. She holds a bachelor of science

BOARD LEADERSHIP P O L I C Y G O V E R N A N C E I N A C T I O N

I0 ti S C A R V E R , Executive Editor

N~JMBER 59, JAN.-FEB. 2002

To Create a New Standard of ~UenceinCouemance

BOARD LFAIXRSHIP (ISSN 1061-4249)

JOHN CAttvEu. PH.D., is widely regarded as the world’s most provocative authority on the gov- erning board role. He has consulted on five conti- nents with a wide variety of organizations and has published more on governance than anyone else worldwide. Carver is creator of the Policy Governance” model of board leadership, arguably the only conceptually coherent, universally applicable model of governance available. Policy Governance is not a set structure, but a paradigm of concepts and principles that enable account- ability, leadership, and productive relationships among boards, their constituencies, and their managements. Carver is author of Boards Thar Make a Difference (Jossey-Bass. 1997), the audio program Empowering Boards for Leadership (Jossey-Bass, 1992). the video program John Carver on Bonrd Governance Uossey-Bass, 1993). and with his wife, Miriam Carver, Reinvefrring YourBmrd (Jossey-Bass, 1997).

Managing Editor: Ocean Howell

Published bimonthly. Individual subscrip- tions (one copy of each issue) are $121 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico and $157 in all other countries. Board subscriptions (six copies of each issue) are $139.50 in the United States and Canada, and $175.50 in all other countries. Discounts on additional board sub- scriptions are available. Call Circulation Manager at (415) 782-3232.

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Copyright 0 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley company. All rights reserved. Policy Governance is a registered service mark of John Carver.

degree in nursing, a bachelor of fine arts degree, and a master of arts degree. She has worked with a variety of nonprofit boards since 1976 as board member and chief executive and as a field consultant on cultural board development. She joined SOLS in 1991 to develop a program of on- entation and training for public library trustees. She was trained in Policy Governance by John and Miriam Carver and coauthored ThePoZicy

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3 8 b

Governance Fieldbook Uossey-Bass, 1999). 2

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