What I really liked about this was the concept that what is useful is not always easy. Having been a CEO and now being a Board Chair, the goal I have is that if asked, the CEO and Executive Team would say "We couldn't achieve what we achieve, and wouldn't have got to where we have, without the Board!" I have never ever heard a CEO say that in my 30 years in leadership roles.
Thinking about my Chair role, I have a regular (every few weeks) conversation with the CEO about whether the work of the Board is useful. I know that the Board rarely asks the CEO to do something that is easy, but importantly the Board keeps negotiating with the CEO about how they can support the CEO achieve that work. There is checking in, encouragement, real support (eg $ to procure more resources or expertise), sometimes relaxation on deadlines, or renegotiation of how information is presented. There is a relationship of mutual accountability which is firm both ways, but is also understanding and flexes when needed (eg always ensuring our CEO's wellbeing is in a good place). Our CEO says the way the Board firmly but gently pushes important bodies of work creates progress and is very much needed, feels hard, but also creates growth in the team.
Ya this is a brilliant perspective, Sara. One of the things I've realized more and more is that the work of the board is *for* management and needs to be designed that way. Not necessarily to make management happy, but - exactly as you say - to increase the probability that management can do a great job. Sometimes that includes difficult work, but at least the work is valuable!
What I really liked about this was the concept that what is useful is not always easy. Having been a CEO and now being a Board Chair, the goal I have is that if asked, the CEO and Executive Team would say "We couldn't achieve what we achieve, and wouldn't have got to where we have, without the Board!" I have never ever heard a CEO say that in my 30 years in leadership roles.
Thinking about my Chair role, I have a regular (every few weeks) conversation with the CEO about whether the work of the Board is useful. I know that the Board rarely asks the CEO to do something that is easy, but importantly the Board keeps negotiating with the CEO about how they can support the CEO achieve that work. There is checking in, encouragement, real support (eg $ to procure more resources or expertise), sometimes relaxation on deadlines, or renegotiation of how information is presented. There is a relationship of mutual accountability which is firm both ways, but is also understanding and flexes when needed (eg always ensuring our CEO's wellbeing is in a good place). Our CEO says the way the Board firmly but gently pushes important bodies of work creates progress and is very much needed, feels hard, but also creates growth in the team.
Ya this is a brilliant perspective, Sara. One of the things I've realized more and more is that the work of the board is *for* management and needs to be designed that way. Not necessarily to make management happy, but - exactly as you say - to increase the probability that management can do a great job. Sometimes that includes difficult work, but at least the work is valuable!