Working to Strengthen Board Roles--Advanced Board Member Training

Multi-State Generational Tax Implications of Interval Ownership Condominium Programs

The 73 main factors to consider when establishing trust planning and estate distribution programs.

How Much is a Car?

• Determine who you NEED• Demographic concerns• Special Skills (doctor, lawyer,

truck driver, teacher)• Recovering? (past clients?)• Public Speakers• Political Connections and

Charitable Connections• Determine how you can get them

• Determine if they are willing to serve

• Determine how to get them elected or appointed

• Give Realistic Expectations• Meeting Attendance• Advocacy• Training

• Explain Do’s and Don’ts• Members should be advocates but cannot speak for the Board or

agency• Members do not get to review files or gain access to confidential

information without a good reason• How much should Members be seen at the Agency• What about legal substance use by Board Members?

• Legal ramifications• Depending on your agency structure, the agency is seldom held

liable (Tort Claims Act)• Individual Board Members are not liable except for bad faith acts

or gross negligence• Special Insurance can be purchased reasonably to provide

reassurance

Which is NOT a drug or alcohol?◦ Tobacco◦ Beer◦ Heroin◦ Playing poker machines

Our role has expanded beyond simple definitions and now includes many other behavioral issues. We are

somewhat a victim of our own success. That is a good thing.

• Think Proactively!• Set long term goals and short term goals• Evaluate the goals and the progress

• Create emergency/continuity of operations plans while there is no emergency

• What if the Director is ill or dies or quits?• What if client data is accidentally

released?• LISTEN to the Director to see what help he or she

needs• ALWAYS be an advocate for the Agency• Look for opportunities for the Director to promote

agency services • Keep the Board and Director informed of

community perceptions

EVERYWHERE!You are the face of the Agency to the community. That includes your use of social media, clubs you belong to and how you interact with others.

Think

Watch

Learn

Promote

Strategic planning for the agency Jobs for employees Services provided to people in need

You are the FOUNDATION!!

Engagement Education Evaluation

On a hot afternoon in Coleman, Texas, a family is comfortably playing dominoes on a porch, until the granddad suggests that they take a trip to the Abilene Cafe [53 miles north] for dinner.

The mom thinks to herself, “they have nothing but fatty fried foods that will add five pounds to my waistline,” but says, “Sounds like a great idea.”

The husband thinks to himself, the drive is long and hot and the a/c isn’t working in the car, but says, “Sounds good to me. I just hope your mother wants to go.”

The grandma then says, “Of course I want to go. I haven’t been to Abilene in a long time.”

And the teenager says, “Aw dude, do we have to!?”

The drive is hot, dusty, and long. When they arrive at the cafeteria, they gorge. They return home four hours later, exhausted and coated in perspiration and dust.

One of them says, “It was a great trip, wasn’t it?”

The husband says, “Well, I didn’t really want to go. I only went to satisfy the rest of you.”

The wife says, “I just went along to keep you happy. I’d’ve had to be crazy to want to go out in the heat like that.”

The grandma says that, actually, she would rather have stayed home, and there’s a reason she hasn’t been to Abilene in a long time – she hates the place.

The granddad then says that he only suggested it in the first place because he thought the others might be bored.

The teenager has been grounded for saying “awww maaaaan!” too many times.

The group sits back, perplexed that they together decided to take a trip which none of them wanted. They each would have preferred to sit comfortably, but did not admit to it when they still had time to enjoy the afternoon.

They are victims of ??????

The inability to manage agreement, not the inability to manage conflict, is the essential symptom that defines organizations caught in the web of the Abilene Paradox.

Why do we groupthink?• Don’t rock boat• Don’t think we, as and individual, know

better• Quick fix• Don’t hurt someone’s feelings• Some action is better than no action

To para quote Hamlet –To maintain my sense of integrity and self-worthor compromise it, that is the question.Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer theignominy that comes from engaging a nonsensicalproject, or handling the fear and anxiety that come from speaking up.

In what situations can Groupthink occur?

Groupthink happens when there is:• A strong, persuasive group leader.• A high level of group cohesion.• Intense pressure from the outside to make a

good decision.

Rationalization

Peer PressureComplacency

Moral High GroundStereotyping

CensorshipIllusion of Unanimity

Explore objectives.Explore alternatives.Encourage ideas to be challenged without reprisal.Examine the risks if the preferred choice is chosen.Test assumptions.

If necessary, go back and re-examines initial alternatives that were rejected.

Gather relevant information from outside sources.

Has a contingency plan.

Brainstorming Gets multiple ideas on the table.

Borda Count Allows each group member to contribute individually,

so mitigating the risk that stronger and more persuasive group members dominate the decision making process.

Modified Delphi TechniqueAllows team members to contribute individually,

with no knowledge of a group view, and with little penalty for disagreement.

Processes internal to the board◦ Relationship to staff◦ Organization◦ Effective use of time during meetings

Effectiveness of board on agency processes◦ Advocacy◦ Adherence to mission

Good governance is more than a function. It’s also a continuous journey.

Gayle Gifford

Great governance doesn’t happen by accident. A good board is a victory not a gift.

Cyril Houle

Good governance starts with the board of directors.

Harvard Law School Forum

◦ BoardSource (2012) The non-profit board answer book. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ◦ Carver, John (1997). Boards that make a

difference. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.◦ Harvey, Jerry (1988) The Abilene Paradox and

Other Meditations on Management. Washington, DC: Lexington.◦ Senge, Peter (2006). The fifth discipline. New

York: Doubleday.