Do ‘blockages’ prevent your organisation from advancing to the next level? Or perhaps one strong personality stifles creativity and initiative by dominating culture and decision-making? This experience is common, especially when the organisation has reached its current success through one- or two-people’s hard work and tenacity. While it is not necessarily easy for the organisation’s leader to let go of the reins, the solution often lies in appointing one or both of:
– A board of directors/trustees.
– An experienced chief executive.
The board holds management to account. They have a helicopter view of the organisation and ask the questions: What? Where? Why? They set the organisation’s direction: including vision, mission, goals, and values. They understand and oversee the management of the organisation’s finances and its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
The board should be comprised of experienced people with a diversity of backgrounds and professional experience. Members need to own the shared vision, operate with respect and have a questioning mindset. They need to understand the macro environment in which the organisation operates (e.g., political, societal, economic, technological, environmental) and be able to discern changes in ‘seasons’ and how this might impact on the organisation’s future. They need to be able to discuss diverse and robust opinions, consider all options and arrive at respectful agreements with their fellow directors/trustees.
The chief executive determines how to execute the board’s strategy. By taking charge of the organisation and its administration, he/she releases the motivated founders to work in their areas of strength.
This article was first published in the Mercury Bay Informer 25 May 2021.
