Is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to focus on Ends while relegating the Means to Management? Is this a distinction that will finally solve the age old problem captured in these two questions: What is the scope of the board? and What is the scope of the staff?
I think not.
This is a problem that cannot be solved. It’s a polarity. While we all agree there are some responsibilities that clearly belonging to the board and the same can be said for management, there are also some responsibilities that are shared by both the board and the staff. Only when there is a partnership between the Board and staff can the shared work of governance be carried out effectively.
Let me offer an approach that is based on the concept of a governance partnership. The two governance leaders, the board chair and the CEO, begin each board year by developing a Governance Agenda which identifies the shared work of the board for the upcoming year. The Governance Agenda sources key documents such as the Board annual calender, the Strategic Plan, the annual Budget, the work of standing committees. The Governance Agenda will likely contain both ends and means activities….but that is the beauty…it was jointly developed by the two governance leaders.
The Governance Agenda is then reviewed, discussed and approved by the Board of Directors. The Governance Agenda becomes the shared work plan where a discussion about the ends and means are no longer necessary. Every board meeting during the course of the upcoming year will include items from the Governance Agenda on its regular meeting agenda. By the end of the board year the work of governance has been accomplished…led by the Board Chair and supported by the CEO.
Every Board should have two agendas:
- The Governance Agenda and
- The Board Meeting Agenda.
