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.
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.
