North America’s premier governance consultants for public and non-profit boards. Specializing in Coherent Governance®, AGI’s own governance design.
You make the choice for good governance; we’ll make it happen.
Services
Governance Consulting
You and your board colleagues are frustrated that things aren’t working as you know they should. But what’s the solution? We have answers.
Coherent Governance® Implementation Protocol
Once your board decides to build a new future for itself, how does it make that happen? What does the implementation process look like? We have answers.
Continued Governance Coaching
Your board has already made the decision to do its work differently, but now real life has set in, and it has proven to be more challenging than you expected. Where to turn for help? Try us. We’ve been there.
What is Coherent Governance?
Coherent Governance® is a model of board governance that, if faithfully followed, will compel boards to make policy decisions, not operational decisions.
Policy Considerations in Response to COVID-19
How does a school board give direction to a CEO trying to adapt and deliver education, meals, safety during a pandemic? Just as it does during normal times: through policy.
Coherent Governance was not built for use only during calm waters. In fact, CG’s effectiveness is greater during turbulent times such as those we live in now than at any other time. During periods of crisis, organizations must be nimble enough to make decisions on the fly. If administrative leaders are forced to gain board approval before responding to life-or-death challenges, the small problems of today risk becoming out of control obstacles of tomorrow.
Your CEOs are being required to make immediate decisions as they adapt to circumstances most have never considered before. They are addressing the fundamental issues of safety and security of students and staff – and they must be fleet of foot. At the same time, they need to know that the decisions they make are within with the board’s operational parameters, as stated in policy. Intelligent risk-taking has never been more required.
Your policies were built to provide guidance and guardrails during such times. But the time may be appropriate for boards to at least discuss the organization’s performance against the stated values of their policies.
Here are some policies worthy of board discussion in order to help the board maintain confidence that its values have been stated adequately in order to empower the CEO to do the job.
Recent News
Addressing Equity in Policy
We have been following equity work across the country with former and current clients as well as other schools districts. Really good work is being done! Four existing OE policies updated for focus on equity – Global OE, Personnel Administration, Learning Environment, and Instructional Program.
Mavericks on Board
How do you handle colleagues who resist teamwork? A board is more than a collection of individuals. Every respected authority on the functioning of boards suggests that for a board to be effective as an entity entrusted to govern an organization on behalf of its owners, it must act as a single unit.
Onboarding and Building a Team
We have written quite frequently about the need to assign priority attention to bring on new board members. If done well, the board is set up for much higher levels of success. If done poorly – or not at all – new members struggle to belong and contribute.