optimizing the board/staff relationship

Governance Issues in Professional Regulation

CLEAR Seminar

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011© CLEAR 2011

Optimizing the Board/Staff Relationship

Claudia Newman, MSW, RSW

NCA Associates

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

OPTIMAL BOARD/STAFF RELATIONSHIPS

Why is it important and what does it look like?

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

WHAT CAN CAUSE DERAILMENT?

The Board/Staff Relationship

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

Primary Causes

Individually and/or collectively;

•Simply do not know what their job is

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

A Problem of Purpose

• From an individual perspective - why am I here?

• From a collective perspective – why are we here? What is our place in this organization?

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

An exercise in analogies…..

A Board is to an organization as a ______ is to a ____________.

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

Lack of clarity or differing understandings can lead to;

•A problem of board performance generally

•And a confusion of roles and responsibilities specifically

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

“Broken” Boards & the Impact on Board/Staff Relationships

Carter McNamara

• Detached Board• Servant Board• Personalities Board• Micro-managing Board

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

THE NEED FOR STRUCTURE

Optimizing the Board/Staff Relationship

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

Schools of Thought: Governance Models

• John Carver’s policy governance model strong board/strong executive model

• Executive focus models strong executive/passive board model

• Balanced partnership modelsconstructive partnership model

Or

• A blend

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

Defining the Boundaries

• Develop policies that support/reflect the governance model chosen,

• Clearly define and formalize roles for both the Board and the chief executive officer/staff

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

Defining the Boundaries Continued

• Outline expectations that each will bring to their respective responsibilities and authority,

• Articulate goals clearly with corresponding performance measures or outcome indicators,

• Establish constructive processes for resolution of conflicts.

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

The Board: Respecting the Boundaries• Tell them

• Teach them

• Train them

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

And

• Conduct routine Board self-assessments• Have on-going Chair/ ED communication• Conduct a periodic governance model

“review”

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

THE ROLE OF THE CHAIR & THE ROLE OF THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE OFFICER

A Final Thought

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

For at the end of the day….

Council on Licensure,

Enforcement and Regulation

Toronto, Ontario

March 24, 2011

Speaker Contact Information

Claudia Newman, MSW, RSW

Principal, NCA Associates222 Somerset St. West, Suite 300Ottawa, ON K2P 2G3613.692.1879cnewman@ncaassociates.comwww.ncaassociates.com