Raise
the Bar: Demand Strategic Thinking and Accountability,
Part I
This
article appeared in CharityChannel in June
2004.
A
number of years ago I clipped a now classic
Grantland
cartoon. A board chair was bemoaning
the quality of his board. He clearly did not
understand why it was so hard to find the right
members. After all, he reasoned, his board had
high
standards for board membership -- "No pulse, no board seat!" The closing
frame
offered up the coup de grace. "Of course we have made exceptions from time
to
time."
Sadly, I see this scenario playing itself out every day in real life. It's led
me to believe that we bring under-performing boards on ourselves. As a consequence
I've become quite unsympathetic when I hear people complaining about their board.
I believe that each of us has an obligation -- whether we are volunteer or professional
leaders -- to raise the bar on leadership standards. It doesn't have to take
much effort. Small changes in our own behaviors will result in relatively dramatic
changes in board operations, particularly if we stress strategic thinking and
accountability.
Probably the most important shift we can make is in our own belief system. We
bring under-performing boards on ourselves when we believe that board members
can't or won't do the jobs they should be doing. This belief is communicated
in many ways -- often subconsciously. We will call board members only sporadically,
giving them insufficient information to do their job. We pooh-pooh any ideas
they come up with or discourage their questions. We excuse less than adequate
jobs with comments such as, "How much can we realistically expect from a
volunteer anyway?" Or, we take on the jobs ourselves.
Board members are quick to pick up on these cues. And, because it is easier not
to work than to work, especially when there are minimal expectations and often
fewer consequences, most people decide to spend their time and energy in other
directions. This reinforces the original concept that board members can't or
won't do the job, the cycle escalates and we have a textbook example of self-fulfilling
prophecy.
I do believe that there is a percentage of those of us in leadership positions
that are aware of what we are doing -- at least at some level. However, I would
guess that a good share of that number succumbs to what I call the "Diet
and
Exercise Syndrome." They know what they should be doing differently -- e.g.,
take the stairs instead of the elevator -- but they continue to practice the
self-destructive behavior out of habit or fear of what any change may require
of
them.
In Part I of this article I will present four general lessons we can learn from
Olympic high jump gold medalist Dick Fosbury about what it takes to successfully
clear a bar regardless of the degree of challenge to which it is raised. In Part
II I will discuss a conditioning regime of "diet and exercise" that
enables
board members to consistently perform at an exceptional level.
Lesson 1: Turn around negative thought.
Fosbury was an unlikely champion. In high school he was tall, gangly, un-athletic
looking, and only moderately successful at his sport. His coaches there and in
college questioned his ability to compete, especially since he had trouble mastering
the basic jumping techniques. However, he didn't buy into the negativity around
him. When he cleared the bar at 7' 4 1/4" at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico
he set a new Olympic record and turned the sport on its ear.
If we are not just mouthing words when we say that board members are trustees
for the community -- that they should leave the organization stronger than they
found it -- we must raise the bar on what we expect from them. We must believe
that strong boards are possible in the real world. This involves censoring our
own negative thoughts, monitoring any tendencies we may have to "protect" board
members or, worse, to keep them in the dark. This requires consciously providing
an atmosphere within which the work can be done, providing any training that
may be necessary, and holding board members accountable for achieving clearly
defined expectations.
Lesson 2: If the status quo isn't bringing results, challenge it!
Fosbury understood that he couldn't accept the status quo if he hoped to excel
at his sport. He exemplified strategic thinking in his challenge of the accepted
standard. When he first began at age 16 to experiment, Fosbury was using the
classic "scissors" jump. The best he was able to clear was 5 3/4'.
At the suggestion of his coaches he tried the Western Roll and the Straddle --
to no
avail. So, he broke out of the box. In his words, "as the bar got higher,
I
started laying out more and pretty soon I was flat on my back." His technique,
which was to evolve into the famous Fosbury Flop, didn't look pretty, but it
was
starting to get the job done.
Every board I talk with today is looking to recruit people of affluence and influence.
They are still focused on mastering the scissors jump. While some are quite successful
at attracting the "right" names, rarely do I sense that these organizations
are satisfied. I would suggest focusing less on money and clout and more on thinking
strategically. This means generating a multitude of options for dealing with
any problem, then selecting the best one after projecting the most likely reactions
to each of the actions and finding "work-arounds" if necessary. Strategic
thinkers will figure out how to attract money and clout even if the board is
not made up of people of affluence and influence.
One of the most critical factors to influence a board's ability to think strategically
is its diversity. Diversity brings different perceptions, new ideas and greater
reach. Two under-utilized techniques for ensuring diversity are to recruit people
of different ages and different learning/work styles.
While some might argue that life, with its attendant values, changes so quickly
that a new generation emerges every five years, there are four distinct generations
that are commonly acknowledged in the USA and Canada today. These
are the "Matures," those born prior to 1945, the "Baby Boomers," those
born 1946
- 1964, the "Gen-X'ers," born 1955 - 1980, and the "Millennials," born
after 1980. Each brings to the table different ways of looking at issues based
on the defining experiences with which they were raised. Without all four at
the table an organization will fail to appeal to the population as a whole, potentially
putting its future in jeopardy.
Similarly, to be a success an organization requires a mix of work and learning
styles. There are big picture people and detail people. Few ideas will come to
fruition without someone concentrating on the minutia. There are also people-oriented
individuals and task-oriented individuals. Little is likely to get done if everyone
on the board loves to socialize with one another but no one is there to bring
the group back to its mission. On the other hand, if the entire focus is always
on work, few people will remain committed over the long run because people tend
to "do" for other people. To ensure a healthy mix, consider using one
of a number of paper and pencil instruments that help assess preferred work/learning
styles. Among the more easily administered tools are True Colors, Gregorc Style
Delineator, Personality Insights: DISC Model, and Keirsey Temperament Sorter.
Besides helping you determine if you have the right balance of personalities
to carry out your mission such assessments provide insight into how others operate.
That insight can reduce conflict between
different personality types.
Lesson 3: Compare the organization's vision to where the organization is currently
and determine what has to be done to close the gap.
Fosbury knew he had to increase his personal best. Jumping parallel to the bar
wasn't cutting it. Slowly he began adjusting his angle. At a 45 degree angle
he was doing better, but it still wasn't good enough. Eventually, he was clearing
the bar at a 90 degree angle. It was this technique that was to bring him his
personal
best and an Olympic record.
Once the desired future has been visualized and it is juxtaposed to a realistic
assessment of where the organization currently stands a board can begin to design
specific steps to realize its dream. An important consideration in creating a
successful action plan is to determine whether the organization can best achieve
its vision by taking the steps incrementally like Fosbury or by jumping in headlong
and taking them on in a single dramatic push.
Lesson 4: Follow the prescribed diet and exercise plan, keep the vision in
the forefront at all times, and follow through.
Fosbury did not just wake up one day. decide to try the high jump, and ask that
the bar be set at 7' 4 1/4". He spent years preparing for his historic jump.
Any athlete of Olympic caliber understands that success involves commitment,
skill, and an ability to visualize success. There must be a commitment to exercise
and eating right to keep the body at a peak level of performance. There must
also be a commitment to building an exceptional level of skill through practice,
practice, and more practice. During their practice sessions athletes are taught
to visualize clearing the bar, hitting the ball, or following through on their
swing. They quickly begin to appreciate the value of picturing the desired result
as they begin achieving their goals.
As organization leaders, if we want to raise the bar for our boards we must become
coaches. We must constantly remind our board members -- our "athletes" --
to follow the prescribed diet and exercise routine, to keep the organization's
vision at the forefront, and to follow through. Those who lack the commitment
or
skill should be asked to leave the team.
In Part II of this article I will recommend a diet and exercise routine that
will lead to accountable, strategic thinking boards.
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