Welcome to the Boardroom

Governance Excellence Model

Expect Reflect Direct Respect Connect Select

Governing well is no easy task. It takes knowledge, skill, and experience. It takes courage and character. And it takes teamwork, in the sense of everyone bringing their unique talents and backgrounds to work together for the best interests of the people the board serves. The track record of board disasters over the past several years underscores how demanding board work can be. But even with all the challenges, it need not be complicated.

The Governance Excellence Model illustrates the keys for boards to do their part in making their organizations successful. Shown as a diamond—a GEM—it has six facets or areas of responsibility. There are disciplines associated with each area of responsibility and these disciplines capture the essence of the board's work. In the following section, the disciplines are listed and their associated areas of responsibility. Some elaboration is provided for each area of responsibility.

Remembering the seven disciplines will best help board members keep their governance priorities top of mind.

Direct...organizational performance

DIRECT Resources

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  • Define and refine the vision, mission, and values
  • Determine key result areas
  • Create and use a monitoring system

Protect...organizational performance

PROTECT Resources

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  • Define and refine the vision, mission, and values
  • Determine key result areas
  • Create and use a monitoring system

Reflect...on Organizational Results

REFLECT Resources

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  • Listen to understand owners (the shareholders or members)
  • Invite input from owners
  • Help owners understand board actions and organizational results

Expect...great Board-Management Interaction

EXPECT Resources

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  • Articulate board expectations of the organization and CEO
  • Establish and maintain the communication process between board and CEO, including confirmation of CEO performance
  • Foster an effective team dynamic between board and CEO

Select...your Prominent Leadership

SELECT Resources

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  • Manage the impression that the key audiences–owners, staff, and the public–have about the prominent leaders (officers and directors)
  • Choose people with the skills, values, and credibility to fulfill their key responsibilities
  • Remove people from these roles if they compromise the organization's effectiveness

Connect...for healthy Board Relations

CONNECT Resources

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  • Agree upon, understand, and comply with the expectations of each other as board members
  • Create and follow a communication process within the board
  • Contribute to an effective team dynamic within the board

Respect...Owner Expectations

RESPECT Resources

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  • Define and refine the vision, mission, and values
  • Determine key result areas
  • Create and use a monitoring system
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