Table of Contents
Praise
Title Page
Copyright Page
CARVER GUIDE
Policy Governance in a Nutshell
Step-by-Step to Implementation
The Board’s Agenda—not the CEO’s Agenda for the Board
Maintaining the Policy Manual
Group Discipline: One for All and All for One
Recruitment and Orientation: Filling Positions, Not Warming Seats
Bylaws: Basic, Not Boring
Conclusion
About the Authors
The Carver Policy Governance Guide Series
The Policy Governance Model and the Role of the Board Member
A Car ver Policy Governance Guide, Revised and Updated
Ends and the Ownership
A Carver Policy Governance Guide, Revised and Updated
The Governance of Financial Management
A Carver Policy Governance Guide, Revised and Updated
Adjacent Leadership Roles: CGO and CEO
A Carver Policy Governance Guide, Revised and Updated
Evaluating CEO and Board Performance
A Carver Policy Governance Guide, Revised and Updated
Implementing Policy Governance and Staying on Track
A Carver Policy Governance Guide, Revised and Updated
Praise for the Policy Governance Model
“Reading these guides is a great way to start your journey towards excellence in governance. All the essentials are there, short but clear. And these six guides will also prove to be an excellent GPS device along the way.”
—Jan Maas, PG consultant, Harmelen, The Netherlands
“The guides are a great way to introduce busy board members to the basic principles of Policy Governance. Their bite-size approach is inviting, covering the entire model, albeit in less detail, without overwhelming the reader. They are succinct and easy to read, including practical points of application for board members. Consultants asked to recommend initial reading about the model can do no better than these guides.”
—Jannice Moore, president, The Governance Coach™, Calgary, Canada
“Boards introduced to Policy Governance quickly become hungry for information but are short on time. These guides help board members quickly absorb the key principles of the Policy Governance model. They are invaluable.”
—Sandy Brinsdon, governance consultant, Christchurch, New Zealand
“For some board leaders the governance elephant is best eaten one bite at a time. The Carver Policy Governance Guide series provides a well-seasoned morsel of understanding in a portion that is easily digested.”
—Phil Graybeal, Ed.D., Graybeal and Associates, LLC, Greer, South Carolina
“Would you or your board benefit from a quick overview of essential governance concepts from the world’s foremost experts on the topic, John and Miriam Carver? Thanks to their new six-booklet series, you can quickly familiarize or refresh yourself with the principles that make Policy Governance the most effective system of governance in existence. These booklets are the perfect solution for board members who are pressed for time but are dedicated to enhancing their own governance skills.”
—Dr. Brian L. Carpenter, CEO, National Charter Schools Institute, United States
CARVER GUIDE
“This makes sense! Let’s do it!”
More often than not, board members exposed to a full description of Policy Governance respond by saying that they want to apply the principles and change the way their boards govern. It is gratifying when this happens, but what should the next steps be? What does it take to make the transition from habitual practices to thoughtful principles, particularly when those principles, although rational, are sometimes surprisingly different from what boards are used to?
We don’t want to unduly restrain boards from implementing change, and we have no desire to sound discouraging, but it would be misleading for us to suggest that changing governance systems is a piece of cake. While it is possible to move to Policy Governance quickly (in as few as two to three months), making the change with inadequate learning and preparation can cause disappointment. Inadequately used, Policy Governance cannot live up to its potential of providing boards a path to effective and accountable leadership.
This is why we feel strongly about the most useful ways of implementing Policy Governance and why in this Guide we address the preparation for the change, the change itself, and steps for maintaining the change. We will look at policy writing, agenda preparation, policy manual maintenance, bylaw provisions, board member characteristics, and other real-life issues of governing. Before beginning, here is a brief overview of the model to remind you of its key features.
Policy Governance in a Nutshell
