Governing Boards Structured for Optimal Effectiveness
- Board Chair and Executive Committee Coaching
- Board Effectiveness Assessment
- Board Committee Restructuring
- Board Composition Mapping
- Board Meeting Optimization
- Board’s Role in Strategic Planning
At a time when economic, demographic, political and technological trends are transforming higher education, governing boards necessarily are changing the way they conduct their work. High-value boards are spending a greater share of their time working with the president in shaping the institution’s future. They regularly study the external landscape to better anticipate existential risks, and are more fluid in strategy development. Consequently, these boards are taking a longer and broader view of their institutions to ensure sustained vitality.
I am often engaged by the president or board chair to redesign board architecture in order to transform board engagement and enhance overall effectiveness. I work with boards in a variety of ways including, the strategic use of the Executive Committee; the board’s oversight of enterprise risk management; decoupling board committees from the administrative structure for greater focus on institutional priorities; and the integration of strategy development in the ongoing work of the board.
New board chairs often CONTACT me to serve as a sounding board and coach while they establish themselves in their new leadership roles. I serve as a trusted, confidential partner during the most critical times in a chairmanship by providing guidance on higher education issues and best practices in college and university governance. To provide high quality consultation on a regular schedule as well as when most needed, I offer coaching services on an annual fee basis.
You may be interested in reading about my work in strengthening the board’s long-term value to the institution. Below are a few articles:
Overcoming Difficulty in Shared Governance Begins with Agreement on the Institution’s Future
The Board Vice Chair: Key Facilitator of Strategic Engagement
Understanding Academic Culture: Essential Groundwork for New Trustees