As a senior staff leader, you play a critical role in ensuring your governance structures are current, suited to your specific organization’s needs, and reviewed on a regular basis. Help your board focus on identifying the strategic goals for your organization – the role they are best suited to provide – while you facilitate putting in place the checks and balances that will steward your association into the future.
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The Optimize Governance competency area explores ways to ensure your association is soundly governed. Delve into topics that will:
Ensure Effective and Efficient Governance
- Identify authorities related to governance
- Confirm organization is compliant with authorities related to governance
- Define governance structure
- Conduct ongoing review of governance
- Advise on scope of activities
- Define board and Chief Staff Officer (CSO) relationship
- Ensure reporting obligations are met
Contribute to the Effectiveness of the Board and Committees
- Support election process for new board members
- Advise on process of onboarding board members
- Advise on succession plan
- Facilitate ongoing evaluation of board, committees and individual board/committee members
- Advise on ongoing development of board
Lead Development of a Strategic Plan
- Conduct ongoing environmental scanning
- Advise board on creating mission and vision for organization
- Develop strategic plan
- Plan for evaluation of organizational performance against strategic plan
Advise the Board on Issues Requiring Their Input
- Prepare for board and committee meetings
- Prepare reports for the board or committee
- Prepare presentations for board or committee
- Ensure compliance with legislative or regulatory requirements
- Maintain insurance for organization
Develop a risk management strategy
- Establish risk principles and guidelines for staff
- Develop risk management plan
This section includes resources for CEOs and Executive Directors who report to boards, senior staff who may lead volunteer committees, as well as volunteer leaders.