Principle 1: The board focuses on governance
The board of directors empowers the president to run the ministry of Go To Nations. The president presents the vision of the ministry to the board, and determines the methods of carrying out the vision.
The board focuses on governance, not management. It should never micromanage – nor rubber stamp without any real engagement. A board’s role is thoughtful, patient, and conducive to long-term change and improvement. The board makes sure that the ministry is who it says it is, and the ministry does what it says it does. The members of the board bring strength to the function of the board by providing skills, knowledge, experience, and spiritual discernment.
Governance simply refers to the role of the board, and is about protecting the ministry and the people of Go To Nations while the ministry accurately and effectively accomplishes the established vision. Governance is best seen as existing outside the phenomenon of management and inside the phenomenon of ownership.
A board member’s involvement between governance and management can become a very thin line at times, and board members have much to offer in the areas of wisdom, ability, experience, and know how. But all these serve as tremendous assets as long as they bring empowerment to the staff and not management over the staff. The staff answers to one boss – the president.
The board is at the top in the chain of accountability (to God) and therefore at the top of the chain of command. All authority in the ministry flows initially from the board.
Principle 2: The board has one employee – the president/CEO
Proper governance is that the board hires the president who in turn hires/appoints all the other World Headquarters staff. All accountability to the board rests upon the president alone. No one staff member is accountable to the board and not to any individual board member.
The board holds the president to a set of ministry standards and desired outcomes while focusing on fundamental issues and major policy decisions. The president serves as a part of the board. Any other staff members invited to the board meetings attend as guests.
Principle 3: The president has only one employer – the board as a whole
The board governs by holding to the ethical standard that the president is responsible only to the unified board. The president is not faced with the political pressure of fielding the special interests of individual members. Board members understand that their collective responsibility takes precedence over their individual relationships with the president.
The board functions as one single unit. This means that each member gets one equal vote. After they’ve cast that vote, they act as one governing body, and any lingering disagreements or individual concerns must be set aside for the good of the whole board.
The chairman’s role is undeniably important, but instead of spearheading the board, the role should be one of cooperative facilitation. It is the chair’s job to facilitate a strong relationship between the collective board and the president.
Any board member is empowered to confront a vigilante colleague, purely by definition of being a board member. The whole board is responsible for the behavior of its individual members
The president should never depend too heavily on one member, or be cowed by the influence of any individual member. This protects the board, the president, and the beneficiaries of Go To Nations, paving the way for the ministry to build a stronger governance culture
Principle 4: The board creates committees to help accomplish its own job
The purpose of committees is to enable the board to function more effectively; smaller groups make it possible for members to meet more frequently and discuss specific issues that often don’t make their way onto the agenda for large group meetings. In theory, committees pave the way for focalized interest and superior performance of the board as a whole.
Ideally, committees exist to gather information that they can then present to the board so the board as a whole can make a decision. The board can empower committees to make decisions on behalf of the board within established guidelines.
The board does not create committees to direct the day-to-day management of the ministry. The president can create committees, but these are staff-level committees, not board level.
Any standing board committee that essentially duplicates the managerial duties of Go To Nations should not exist. The one exception is the advancement committee. It is advantageous for non-profits to have a functional development committee at both the staff and board level.
The number of standing committees should be limited to those really needed. Creating special task forces may serve in the place of establishing a new long-term committee. A task force comprises all the pros of a committee – they are a small group of people working toward a dynamic goal, are able to spend more time on an issue, and have an ability to bring specific knowledge to the board. While they can be supportive to the board, the best thing about them is that when they’ve accomplished their objective, they simply dissolve.
Principle 5: The board evaluates its president through governance committee
A successful board/president partnership necessarily entails that the board conduct an annual appraisal of the president, based upon established criteria. High expectations of the president are laudable – as long as they’re established beforehand.
The responsibility for evaluating the president belongs to the board as a whole. But it can be carried out through a three-tiered process: it begins with the president, moves on to the governance committee, and ends at the greater board.
The governance committee, in conjunction with the president,identifies the president’s annual and long-term goals. These objectives are based on the ministry’s annual agenda and are firmly rooted in its mission. The governance committee meets with the president during the year to assess progress and then, at year’s end, reports its findings to the greater board. Under this model, the board engages the president in a proactive and ethical evaluation process.
The evaluation is based upon established criteria contained in the annual plan of the president. It is the basis for the periodic and annual review of the president. The entire board must approve the annual plan for the president.
The governance committee typically meets at different periods during the year to craft a workable president support system where there’s an evaluation process working throughout the year. As the year comes to a close, the evaluation emerges. There is no surprises, no capricious demands, and no upside-down priorities.
Principle 6: The board conducts its own annual self-appraisal
Every board should conduct its own annual self-appraisal. By creating a process for this, board members are able to clarify their individual goals and responsibilities within the greater ministry of Go To Nations, allowing for greater productivity and the attendant excitement that goes along with reaching goals.
Once the board is trained and educated in this governance model of these six principles, the board appraises its efficacy on a yearly basis. Board members have a fiduciary responsibility to Go To Nations and our partners to assure that their roles and responsibilities are being carried out appropriately and productively. When the board of directors strategically appraises the president and concurrently appraises itself, it sends a powerful message to the missions, business, and church communities.