Redefining Library Boards for Dynamic Communities

Dr. Ken HaycockJanuary, 2004

www.kenhaycock.com

Basic Factors in Effectiveness Determine Mission

and Purpose Select/Support/

Evaluate the CEO Articulate Roles and

Relationships Plan Strategically/

Allocate Resources

Monitor and Evaluate/Accountability

Maintain Legal and Ethical Integrity

Public Standing and Credibility

Recruit Aggressively/Assess Performance

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Determine Mission and Purpose

What business are we in?

How do we measure success?

Outputs vs. outcomes

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Select/Support/Evaluate the CEO

Position profile Community profile Knowledge; skills;

attributes Succession

management Performance

measures Current issues

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Roles and Relationships Board/Ground Rules Board/Mayor/Council/

Municipal Manager Board/Community/Power Bases

Board/CEO Board/CEO/Community/Power

Bases Board/CEO/Staff/Community CEO/Municipal Manager/Executive

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Conflict (Who? Us? Not!)

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Plan Strategically…Allocate Resources

Preferred Futures (roles) Process/Outcomes Walk the Talk: The Agenda

(“don’t major in the minors”) Who Drives the Agenda? Consent/Information; Decision; Exploration Delegations? Representation? Liaison?

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Plan Strategically: Priority? This project is so important that we

cannot allow things that are more important to interfere with it!

Doing the same things twice as hard will not lead to different results.

How will the world be different tomorrow as a result of what we do here today?

If we don’t know where we’re going…any road will take us there…

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Monitor and Evaluate…

Effect of Organizational Culture Goals S.M.A.R.T. Objectives Evidence-based Decision-making What? Why? Who? When? How? 5% Cut: What goes and why? Monitor and Adjust… Accountability

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Enhance Public Standing

Community events (what is “political”?)

Community information Role counterparts Profile of Director/CEO Profile of Chair

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Maintain Integrity

Legal: Effect of legislation Ethical: Effect of decision-making Financial: Effect of priorities

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Recruit/Assess Performance

Succession Management for the Board

Older Readers or Community Leaders?

Trustee or Board Development?Goal-driven or Reward-driven?Improve the knowledge base…

Governance Committee? Sustainability/Audit

Committee?

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Board Performance

Improved education Improved relations Improved strategic development

annual work plans Improved monitoring, tracking,

evaluation of programs and services(not personnel)

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Clichés? Improvement is not mandatory…

but then neither is survival.—Deming Anything worth doing well…

is worth doing slowly.—West Rowing is the only activity where you

can sit on your backside, look backwards, and still make progress…

How many Board members does it take to change the Board? Only one, but the Board has to want to change…

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The Choice Is Yours What kind of

Board? What kind of

relationships? What kind of

impact? What kind of

difference?

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Basic Factors in Effectiveness Determine Mission

and Purpose Select/Support/

Evaluate the CEO Articulate Roles and

Relationships Plan Strategically/

Allocate Resources

Monitor and Evaluate/Accountability

Maintain Legal and Ethical Integrity

Public Standing and Credibility

Recruit Aggressively/Assess Performance

www.kenhaycock.com

New Designs for Effectiveness Make decisions based on evidence

rather than opinion Create a culture of trust for staff with

common agreement on what will constitute success

Develop nimble infrastructure with systems that can respond efficiently and effectively

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Role of Evidence Transform information into knowledge Staff’s role will increase in importance Concise communication based on

evidence Maintain internal/external scanning Cultivate culture of strategic thinking Tolerance for ambiguity/uncertainty Expect leaders to deliver more from

expanded knowledge bases

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Implications

Outcomes desired vs. activities required

What’s next vs. what’s done Use evidence vs. collect evidence Consider capacity, capability,

position Outcomes vs. methods

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Questions for Decisions

Needs, wants, expectations of stakeholders? and “shareholders”?

Capacity and position of library? Niche…

Realities, dynamics of community? Ethical implications for choices?

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Role of Trust Trusting environment creates

enjoyable culture Governance means balance

(distinction between oversight and supervision)

Relationship between trust and nimbleness

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Implications Necessary knowledge Well-defined roles

(not “command and control”) Strategy and direction-setting vs.

implementation and detail Open flow of information (director) Opinions of community leaders (solicit) Value-added dimensions to community

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Nimbleness requires… Tolerate risk Parameters with wide boundaries New technologies to aid work Right people with right expertise in the

right seats Experiment with new methods Organize for value and benefits not

“love all, serve all” Define unique niche and exploit

opportunities that fit

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Strategies Knowledge-based governance leads to

dialogue around critical issues Direct communication with customers

and stakeholders Strong core values Clear focus

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Newer Models Alter process as well as structures Board focuses on value to clients and

ensuring it is delivered Three priorities: direction-setting;

operation oversight; organization's culture

Expertise and honesty more important Knowledge-based model vs. debate ideas

of others Conscious choices about what to be

accomplished and how Board will lead

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Building on Foundations

We will focus on adding value to our community’s development by playing a lead role in these areas:

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Resources You Can Use Trustee Associations

The Ontario Library Trustee’s Handbook: A Workbook for Library Boards (part of the OLTA Trustee’s Tool Kit)

Alberta Library Trustees’ Association Resource Centre (well-organized web site with many links)

National Center for Nonprofit BoardsTen basic responsibilities for nonprofit boards

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute of GovernmentGround rules for effective groups

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Resources You Can Use The Will to Govern Well…

Knowledge, Trust and Nimbleness: The Will to Govern Well. Glenn Tecker, Jean Frankel and Paul Meyer. American Society of Association Executives Foundation, 2002. 236 pp.

Writers/Consultants: John Carver, Doug Eadie, Ken Haycock, Randee Loucks, Glenn Tecker

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To your success

No time to ask your question? Concerned about privacy?

Feel free to contact me at any time…

Dr. Ken Haycock voice: 604.925.0266

ken@kenhaycock.com

more about me…www.kenhaycock.org