We have very big, very exciting news! We’ve been informed that the Governance Guys is the 41st top-rated management podcast in Japan! With your continued support, we look forward to continually climbing the ranks.
We discussed a local news story that touches on governing in the pandemic, managing reputation, and conflict between a Board and CEO. An important observation is that sometimes board will have one hand tied behind their back when managing reputation. When legal proceedings are involved or where ethical considerations require the organization to protect employee or beneficiary privacy, the board will be limited in its ability to make sure its version of a story is heard. Sometimes reputational perception will be unfair. Board members need to have the tough skin to deal with this reality. To feel more comfortable making tough decisions, board members should make sure they have channels to hear different perspectives on organizational values, priorities, and strategies. As outsiders hearing these stories, we should recognize we likely are not hearing the whole story and show empathy to imperfect people trying to run complex organizations.
On board orientation, we recommend orientation for all new board members with an open invitation to returning board members. Inviting returning board members offers an opportunity to refresh their understanding of their role, but also allows an opportunity for creating shared understandings. New board members should connect with more experienced board members in a mentoring relationship and regular board development sessions should happen throughout the year. We’ll continue the conversation on board development in our next episode.
Andrew and I also discussed what we like to see in a board meeting package. I tried writing out a list of everything we mentioned. When I saw it, it occurred to me that we are demanding guys. Those high expectations though reflect a belief that good process can influence good decisions for the organizations we care about. Those high expectations also demonstrate that much is expected of those entrusted to oversee and manage organizations that have the potential to make important contributions to our communities. Listen to episode 15 to hear more.
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