FRAMEWORK FOR SUCCESS Chamber Executives of Ontario Facilitated by Anne Bermingham 2WA Consulting Inc.

January  To develop a greater understanding of best practices for Board of Directors  To assess how well your Board of Directors is incorporating best practices into its current approach  To generate ideas that you can take back to your Chamber that would “strengthen the foundation” and result in an even more successful Board-staff partnership

January “Good governance is about both achieving desired results and achieving them in the right way” Institute on Governance 2008 “Right way” often shaped by cultural norms and values of organization

January  Developing and utilizing your vision and strategic plan  Ensuring the existence of a sound governance framework  Developing strong relations with stakeholders  Ensuring financial health and good performance  Developing Board capable of playing its unique role as advocates and ambassadors References:Tim Plumptre; Barbara Laskin. From Jeans to Jackets: Navigating the transition to more systematic governance in the voluntary sector. Institute on Governance (

January  Has a well-articulated vision, mission and values  Utilizes vision, mission & values when making decisions  Has a strategic plan that guides the organization (ideally created by consulting with its many stakeholders)  Has annual operating plan and budget that supports strategic plan  Has Board annual work plan that is aligned to strategic plan  Regularly talks about its future – strategic items on Board agendas

January  Provide Board member with by-laws and articles of incorporation (defines role and composition of Board; role of CEO; membership, elections, etc)  Have governance policies (committees; how budget is approved; how CEO and Board are evaluated, etc)  Regularly consult and use its governance policies when determining Board actions to take

 Update policies to ensure they provide staff with enough ‘reasonable interpretation’ on the right way  Board regularly reviews, and if necessary, updates governance policies  Board monitors / audits adherence to its own framework January 20117

8  Have formal mechanisms to connect with stakeholders  Determine ways in which Board can tap individual and collective networks to strengthen relationships  Ensure relationships are in good order  Reach out to forge new relationships to meet future needs  Set key messages to communicate through annual general meeting & annual report  Take actions to ensure Board is seen as transparent, responsive and accountable in eyes of key stakeholders

January  Regularly evaluate where organization is relative to budget and operating plan  Benchmark where association is performing relative to other organizations  Complete a CEO evaluation annually, in a timely manner, with a process report given to the full Board

January  Board completes written evaluation on Board performance (collective & individual)  Have financial audit as well as an audit committee with a Board approved mandate  Board has Board goals that are reviewed regularly -

January  Recruit Board members to close identified gaps and needs of the association  Transparent process for selecting chair of the Board  Orient and train Board members effectively

January  Ensure committees do Board work, not management work  Actively engage in advocating  Support and encourage Board members to be ambassadors

January

January  Participation  Transparency  Responsiveness  Effectiveness  Accountability  Strategic vision

January  Operational - Board does the work as well as governs itself (e.g., service clubs)  Management - Board manages some parts of organization but has staff doing other functions  Traditional - Board governs and oversees operations through committees  Policy Governance - Board governs through defining ends policies and executive limitations