Efficient Board Meetings: Enhancing Quality Decisions

1. Great Governance Efficient Bored (Board)Meetings Effective Bored (B Decisions How to get as little done as you do now in half the time! How to avoid being Dead Wood! John Tropman University of Michigan School of Social Work Ross School of Business

2. The PTA Meeting

3. high quality Board meetings • Action happens/decisions get made • The actions/decisions are of high quality • Members have fun

4. principles: the magnificent seven • The Orchestra Principle • The Purpose Principle • The Three Characters Principle • The “No More Reports” Principle “Reports” • The “No New Business” Principle “New Business” ----- the end • The Personality Principle and The Role Requirement • High Quality Decisions

5. the recipe 4 Manage the Paper and the Presentation: • The Executive Summary • The Options Presentation Technique 5 Manage the Norms: • Respect the Agenda • Respect the Clock • Respect People and Ideas 6 Manage the Review: • Each Meeting (KSS) • Manage the Assessment: • Every So Often 1 Manage Information: • The Rule of ½ • The Rule of ¾ • The Rule of 1/6 2 Manage the Process: • The Rule of 2/3 • The Rule of the Agenda Bell 3 Manage the Words: • The Agenda • The Minutes

6. 1 – manage information • The Rule of 1/2 • Organize material ahead whenever possible- usually 1/2 way between meetings • The Rule of 3/4 • Send it out ahead whenever possible-If it is not possible,allow a few minutes at the beginning of the meeting for reading • The Rule of 1/6 • Have innovative and new material available for each meeting as an agenda item

7. 2 – manage the process • The Rule of 2/3 • The Rule of the Agenda Bell • Remember that once you set the time frame, people adjust their internal expectations to that announcement.It’s sort of an agreement • Organize your agenda according to the Agenda Bell • If you cannot hand it out in advance, take a few minutes with the whole team and do it right there.

8. Increasing Efficiency and Creativity in Decision Making Meetings - Using The Agenda Bell Greatest Resources for Toughest Topic Energy Creativity/Brainstorming @each meeting around future topics ModestDecisionItem(s) ModerateDecisionItem(s) MostDifficultItem(s) BrainstormItem(s) Announce-ment(s) SmallTrivial Item(s) Minutes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Time

9. 3 – manage the words • The Agenda • The Minutes

10. the agenda • Do the agenda like a restaurant menu • Specific, actionable items

11. the menu agenda 1. Minutes 2:00-2:05 2. Announcements 2:05-2:10 New Desks Ordered 1000$ each to your account 3. Retreat Location (Action) 2:10-2:15Key West seems best 4a. Vendor Selection (Action) 2:15-2:25A new vendor for our agency 4b. Disposal of Old Furniture (Action ) 2:25-2:35 trash sell / fix? 5. Permission to Cancel Legacy 2:35-3:00 6. Improving Quality (Brains.) 3:00-3:38 7. Adjourn 3:38-3:40

12. the minutes • Do them - a brief record is important • They can be done in the meeting, actually • the recorder works here • Headings identical to the agenda • A brief summary paragraph Put the decisions in a box

13. 4 – manage the paper and presentation • The Executive Summary • The Options Presentation On Technique

14. the executive summary • Think of the TEN COMMANDMENTS

15. The options presentation technique • For written and oral reports, use a summary in triple option form • Old Way • State the problem • State the solution --Then . . . Argue . . . • The 9s • The New Way • State the problems • List options • Suggest preliminary action

16. response to the options memo • The Four Questions • The Logic Question • The Judgment Question • The Problems Question • The CQI Question

17. 5 – manage the norms • Respect the Agenda • Respect the Clock • The mind cannot accept more than the seat can endure! • Beware of Comotosis Rectus • Respect People and Ideas • Body language counts!

18. 6 – manage the review • At the end of the meeting, take a few minutes to ask for reactions as to how it went • Use KSS • [Keep, Stop, Start]

19. effective group decision making Doing Good through Doing Well

20. CLASSIC PROBLEMS IN EFFECTIVE GROUP DECISION MAKING • Avoid Folly – A really stupid Move • Avoid Folly - Rewarding A While Ho[ping for B • Avoid Group Think • False Agreement (Harry and Sally) • Truth to Power • Avoid the Abilene Paradox – the mismanagement of agreement • Avoid The garbage can • Be sure you have problems knowers, problem solvers, resource controllers, decision makers

21. Classic problems in effective group decision making • 6. Avoid the Boiled Frog – change from strength • 7. Avoid Defensive Routines discuss the undiscussable • 8. Avoid Brute Think – use problem bracketing • 9. Avoid Zeno’s Paradox – Close, but no cigar • 10. Seek Occam's Razor – Simple is better

22. what is needed – managing decision processes • In real time • Cannot learn well by trial and error • decision rules • decision mosaic • decision elements • rounds of discussion • decision crystallization • decision sculpting

23. 1 – manage decision rules- The Decision Culture • Extensive • Intensive • Involvement • Expert • Power • External Stakeholders • The Idea itself and its requisites

24. 2 – manage the decision mosaic • “Decision” is a Collective Noun. • It’s a Mosaic of Elements.

25. 3 – manage decision elements • A Decision Element is an individual piece of the Mosaic • Guttman scale

26. 4 – manage rounds of discussion • A Round of Discussion is that point at which each person has made one contribution

27. 5 – manage decision crystallization • “DC” involves • Summarization • Vocalization • Legitimization • Redirection

28. 5 – manage decision sculpting • “DS” involves working on the Mosaic • Think of Pork Dinner

29. Thank you • Write down one thing you will try