1. Evaluating the Chief: A Core Governance Function First Nations Governance Council Workshop Winnipeg, August, 2018
Andrew Graham
School of Policy Studies
Queens University
Kingston, Canada

2. What I Would Like to Do Today.
Fit the evaluation process into the broader role of the Board/Commission.
Share what practices seem to be working or are good ideas.
Walk through the practical steps needed.

3. Bottom Line Up Front
Commissions have to evaluate the Chief in a consistent, formal way in order to fulfill their jobs as governors.
The process is in everybody’s interest, especially the Chief.
This is a core Commission role and cannot be delegated.
The process has to be based in policy, formal and clear to all participants. Informal doesn’t cut it.
It is an integral part of the circle of governance.

4. Recap on the Commission’s Roles
Governance: Controlling the directing the police service, setting goals, budgets and expectations and holding it accountable through the Chief.
Oversight: Ensuring compliance with law and policy, evaluating performance and making adjustments.

5. Strategy
Execution
Accountability

6. Good Governance is About…
Vision - Planning for the future
Destination - Setting goals and providing a general road map
Resources - securing the resources necessary to achieve the goals
Monitoring - periodically ensuring that the organizational vehicle is well maintained and progressing toward the goal
Accountability - ensuring efficient use of resources; reporting progress and detours to stakeholder

7. Evaluating the Chief is About Good Governance
Your relationship with the Chief is complex and busy.
Much of it is built on personal trust – this is essential but only the start.
Evaluations are not about liking or trusting or comfort – they are part of your setting directions and seeing them carried out.

8. Evaluating the Chief is About Good Governance
Evaluations are one of the main tools you have to ensure you are going in the right direction and that your main agent to get there – the Chief – is being successful or not.
Evaluations provide the Chief with structured feedback on their performance.
Evaluations clear the air on the attitude of the Board towards its Chief and avoid death by gossip.
The opposite of good governance is simply for Boards to ride out poor performance to the end of a contract.

9. Formal Evaluations are in the Chief’s Interests
The Chief is your CEO.
She has to know how she is doing both informally and formally.
The Chief relates to the Board/Commission as a single body not a bunch of people who might like her or not.
Liking is not in the employment contract.
Chiefs need feedback, not gossip or being sucked up to.
Embedding the evaluation in the strategic or business plan, job description and stated behavioural expectations is a protection when a crisis hits or there is criticism.

10. The Success of the Chief as your CEO carrying out your direction.
Job 1 of a Board/Commission
The Success of the Chief as your CEO carrying out your direction.
You only get there through setting direction, monitoring it and giving feedback.

11. So How Does It Work? Start with Expectations
Boards/Commissions have to put a policy in place to
Set up the evaluation system
Outline the process
Establish basis of evaluation
Good examples are out there: Kahnawá:ke Peacekeepers Services Board, Ottawa, Sudbury

12. So How Does It Work? Start with Expectations
Do the organizational work well in advance:
Describe the process:
How objectives are set – link to strategy
Ensuring Chief signs off on strategy
Outline timing
Describes forms as needed
Define deliverables.
Organizational goals
Personal Performance Objectives
General expectation of CEO – efficiency and effectiveness

13. Define Your Deliverables
Plan Objectives
Efficiency & Effectiveness Objectives
Organizational Development Objectives
Personal Performance Objectives

14. How to Do This and Who Does What?
Chair has a key role in pulling all of this together.
Avoid too many cooks in the soup.
Don’t invent new objectives or plans. Use the basics you should have:
Strategic or Business Plan objectives
The Chief’s job description
Your core policies
Specific personal goals for the Chief in terms of his behaviour or changes you want

15. The Not Surprise Rule

16. Basic Rule: Be Fair and Predictable – No Surprises
Never pull an evaluation out of the air unless you are faced with serious dereliction of duty.

17. Start at the Start
The Before you Start Rule: The Chief should know, in advance of the period being assessed, what her objectives are in all areas.
The Make if Formal Rule: This means the Board setting them out and communicating them in writing to the Chief.
The Build It Together Rule: The Chief should be able to clarify and negotiate these objectives.
Never set objectives that are not in law, policy, plan or budget. Don’t ask the Chief to do something and not equip him to do it.

18. The “Are We There Yet?” Rule
Objectives are fine but useless without knowing when you have succeeded.
The Chief needs to know when she has accomplished the objective or is off track.
Agree on the core measures that you will use to evaluate.
They should look a lot like your plan’s objectives.
Avoid another layer of reporting.

19. The KISS and Build to Scale Rule
Having a formal process does not necessarily mean a ton of paper and forms. Small Boards/Commissions should design to scale and capacity but still do it.

20. Chair Writes Evaluation Chair Reviews with Board
Set Objectives
Chief Signs Off
Monitor Performance
Chief Reports
Board Discusses
Chair Writes Evaluation
Chair Reviews with Board
Start all Over Again
Before Review Period
During Review Period
After Review Period

21. Monitor Performance Regularly
Monitoring the Service and the Chief are pretty well much the same thing.
Regular Board reports will tell if the Chief is on target or not.
Boards have to make adjustments to reality in evaluating the Chief.
Cut the Chief some slack on timing. Make sure there is a safety valve so the Chief can say “We aren’t going to make this one and here is why.”

22. Chair Chief Board Drives process Asks for report from Chief
Provides feedback on performance goals
THIS IS NOT THE EVALUATION.
Board
Informal discussions prior to Chair completing review.
Formal approval of Review - Confidentially.
Formal meeting with Chief to provide evaluation.

23. This is a collective Board evaluation, not a bunch of personal opinions based on likes and dislikes. The Chair has to be backed up and she speaks with the voice of the Board.
It’s also confidential and one of the greatest trusts we have in governance.

24. There is no such thing as an informal evaluation – that’s feedback.

25. Just Remember: It’s not over until the paperwork is done.