My car had its MOT last week and, at the same time, I had my
NHS well-woman check, double whammy, and raising concerns as to whether the
machinery is working as it should be…?
As I sat in the waiting room (or one of them, I should say)
I could not help but compare this process to a Board effectiveness review. To some, it may be a seemingly tedious
exercise, but in reality an absolute necessity and, for me (certainly in
relation to my health), I was determined I was going to embrace it
wholeheartedly in a commitment to create a better, more effective, stronger
performing me.
Whether embarking on a MOT, health check or governance
review, many of the questions that need answering are the same:
Is the engine strong enough, consistent,
reliable and does it provide a strong core for the parts around it?
Is it getting the right fuel, to enable it to
fulfil all of its functions (in my health's case, am I taking the right
vitamins for a woman my age?!).
What are the connections like with the parts
around us? Does the core communicate
well with the extremities? Is there the
right amount of support, challenge, healthy discussion and do we have a strong
and well-functioning framework?
Are healthy habits, behaviours and ways of
working being instilled in every aspect of performance?
Importantly, is the foundation there to enable this
vessel to perform, maintain and, in some cases grow, and preserve its overall
health?
Light touch Board Effectiveness Reviews should happen every
year and every three years there should be a deep dive supported by an external
reviewer https://www.charitygovernancecode.org/en/front-page. A Board Effectiveness Review is essentially
an MOT for your Board. How well does the
Board work to support the effective governance of the organisation and create
an optimum environment.
And the results:
My car passed, save for the
wipers which needed changing in order to provide clarity of vision, a modest
expense in relative terms to the advantage it would create.
My health scored an eight out of
ten, but the doctor said that, as a woman of maturing years (yes he actually
said that) I needed to start doing a few things differently, to adapt to my
environment and make myself more sustainable for my future years (another
feature, I thought to myself, of good governance).
If you wish to have a chat about Board Effectiveness Reviews,
good governance or your board generally, please do give us a call. When your Board is working well the
organisation thrives and we have seen it ourselves in many cases we have worked
on.
Emma Moody
Head of Charities
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 0191 230 8823
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