Many Board Members say their principle reasons for joining a Board were:
- To contribute to something greater.
- To apply their skills and knowledge.
- To make a meaningful difference, first-hand.
- To give back to a community that they have benefited from.
- To learn more, and keep learning.
And yet the speed of today’s social, political, and economic change is outpacing a Board’s understanding of purposeful, principle-centred stewardship.
The Meridian Edge Leadership and Governance Consulting exists to support Boards who recognize the need for transforming their current mode of operating, and who require experienced assistance to make it happen.
Our approach is based firmly on the goal of enabling Boards to first explore their fundamental purpose and then to design a better, workable fit between themselves and the organization they govern, the people served, and life outside the boardroom.
Governance Framework – Developing a guiding framework which articulates Board Members beliefs, principles, and integrity about governing effectively.
- Why are we here? For whom?
- How can we make a difference?
- What should good governance look like?
Governance Structure and Practices – Examining priorities and practical alternatives for a client-driven board model in terms of Board composition.
- Decision-making format.
- Information requirements.
- Orientation and succession.
- Committee and task force design.
Strategic Thinking and Action – Identifying and advancing the Board’s vision for the organization.
- What are the organization’s competitive advantages?
- What are the few high impact result areas that will make or break it?
Governance Policy Development – Evolving a set of stated policy positions of the Board that provide leadership to this organization, alongside tools and techniques to monitor progress.
Policy Governance Implementation – Providing a framework for implementing policy governance.
- What Board orientation is required?
- What are the priorities for implementation?
- How should Board behaviours and activities evolve?
Linkages and Relationships – Defining the roles and accountabilities of the Chief Executive Officer and Board, and connecting these in productive ways.
Governance Effectiveness Evaluation – Creating and applying evaluations for measuring board effectiveness. How well are we doing? Who says so? What have we learned?