The old saw goes that board members can be categorized into one of three roles: Worker, Wisdom, Wealth. Whatever their make-up, many boards struggle with being pulled down into the weeds, whether spending too much time on operational matters or in other areas of management.
But the best use of a board’s time and focus is in areas of big-picture strategy. Staff is there to manage and execute, and the board should be on top of the direction of the organization and how to get there.
This article from “Associations Now,” the monthly magazine published by the American Society of Association Executives, shares four concrete ideas for steering boards away from minutiae and toward a constructive strategic focus. Sneak peek: take advantage of conflict.
