POLICY TYPE: Governance Process
POLICY TITLE: G.1 Governing Style
ADOPTED: April 12, 1999
revisions: 1/21/02; 4/19/04; 5/8/08
The Board will govern with an emphasis on (1) outward vision rather than internal preoccupation with Co-op functioning, (2) encouragement of diversity of viewpoints, (3) strategic leadership more than its own administrative detail, (4) clear distinction of Board and General Manager roles, (5) collective rather than individual decisions, (6) the future rather than past or present, and (7) proactivity rather than reactivity.
G.1.1
The Board will govern using the policy governance model.1
G.1.2
The Board will cultivate a sense of group responsibility. The Board, not the Staff, will be responsible for excellence in governing. The Board will initiate policy, not merely react to Staff initiatives. The Board will use the expertise of individual members to enhance the ability of the Board as a body rather than to substitute individual judgments for the Board's values. The Board will allow no officer, individual or committee of the Board to hinder or be an excuse for not fulfilling board commitments.
G.1.3
The Board will direct, control, and inspire the organization through careful establishment of broad written policies reflecting the Board's values and perspectives about ends to be achieved and means to be avoided. The Board's major policy focus will be on the intended long-term effects outside the organization, not on the operational or programmatic means of attaining those effects.
G.1.4
The Board will enforce upon itself whatever standards are needed to govern with excellence. Discipline will apply to matters such as attendance, being prepared, policy- making principles, respect of roles, and ensuring continuance of governing capability. Continual Board development will include orientation of new Board members in the Board's governance process and periodic Board discussion of process improvement.
G.1.5
The Board will monitor the Board's process and performance at each meeting and periodically evaluate itself through group discussion. Board self-monitoring will include comparison of Board activity and discipline to policies in the Governance Process and Board-GM Linkage categories. The process for Board self-monitoring will be approved by the Board. The process should be reviewed annually.
1The Board policy was originally built around the ideas developed by John Carver in his book, Boards That Make A Difference (copyright 1990, Jossey-Bass Inc., San Francisco, CA).