Does your board, amidst its best intention, get off track from time to time? GGA Director and Club Governance expert George Pinches makes a case for brief but effective board meeting evaluations which serve as a part of a continuous feedback system that can help keep boards focused and effective.
Does your board, amidst its best intention, get off track from time to time? GGA Director and Club Governance expert George Pinches makes a case for brief but effective board meeting evaluations which serve as a part of a continuous feedback system that can help keep boards focused and effective.
The use of wearable personal fitness trackers has exploded. A common goal of a high functioning board is to constantly monitor its performance as a governing body. For most clubs this frequently means a focus on sound governance principles and practices at the annual board retreat or board orientation session at the beginning of the year followed by an annual evaluation 12 months later.
The board starts off well and then wanders for the next 11 months. Similar to a FitBit, an efficient and effective way to monitor and improve board performance is to conduct a brief (no more than 5 minutes) evaluation at the end of each meeting. This immediate and frequent reinforcement is far more effective than waiting for the end of the board term.
I recommend assigning this task to the Vice President as preparation for his/her term. It is also advisable to use a template or checklist for consistency, questions would include:
- Did we stray into operations on any topics during this meeting?
- Were our discussions focused on strategy and policy?
- Did we avoid doing committee work as opposed to board work?
- Were discussions pertinent to the topic at hand?
- Did we stay on track with the Agenda?
It’s about holding the board accountable and what gets measured gets managed. Think of this evaluation like a wearing a Fitbit. Just like a wearable fitness tracker monitors personal fitness activity on a regular basis, monitoring and evolving the board’s performance regularly produces results. If you use it, I can assure you it works.
I encourage boards to use the GGA evaluation form or a similar form as it provides helpful feedback from the entire board as a majority, rather than the vocal minority. View the onepage evaluation form I have used in private clubs for more than ten years here.
George Pinches is a Director of Global Golf Advisors who specializes in Club Governance. Reach him at [email protected]
