Common tricky dynamics between board and executive
We have been called in to ease many different types of tricky board and executive dynamics. These are some common scenarios, how they look through the eyes of the executive and trustees, our diagnosis and suggested solutions.
Scenario 1: “The board keeps asking for more and more information!”
What executives see:
“I am being asked for more and more information but – however much I provide – the board still asks for more. Don’t they understand how much time and energy these requests take? It takes me away from what matters.”
What trustees see:
“I just don’t get it – this just doesn’t stack up and I worry that things are going awry and the executive team don’t see what is happening. I need more assurance here.”
The diagnosis:
In a busy board meeting, it can be difficult to get to the bottom of why someone is asking for further information. In our experience, the ask is rarely just for data. More often, the trustee wants to make sense of the basics, including why work is happening and what it is trying to achieve. That's why layering in more information doesn’t solve the problem.
The solution:
Step back from the request and take the time to dig a bit deeper. Rather than responding to the data request, pick up a conversation to understand underlying concerns and questions. Distilling project fundamentals onto a single page can help along with periodic board deep dives into complex or tricky issues.
Scenario 2: “Trustees don’t really ‘get’ the organisation.”
What executives see:
“I don’t think the trustees really understand the organisation.
Often times, the board doesn’t really reflect the reality of how the organisation is operating.”
What trustees see:
“I was recruited for my expertise but when I offer insights and expertise I don’t feel these are taken up. I feel frustrated that I can’t make a bigger contribution.”
The diagnosis:
There is truth in the phrase “seeing is believing” and trustees naturally struggle if they can’t get a sense of the organisation in operation. Additionally, there can be confusion in trustee role specifications about the essential requirements for trustees to be effective governors with the desire to have trustees who add specific expertise to an organisation. This can lead to a mismatch where trustees believe they have been recruited for their expertise while the organisation needs to upgrade its governance.
The solution:
Carefully planned inductions and site visits are all important ways of keeping trustees in touch; if this is not possible, deep dive sessions on particular services or pieces of work where trustees get the opportunity to hear from others in the organisation is important. Additionally, taking an “organisation first” approach to trustee recruitment can help. This means looking at your governance needs alongside any specialist expertise in your future recruitment.
Do these scenarios sound familiar? We’d be happy to discuss any tricky dynamics with you - just get in touch with our team.