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University College of the North Governance Workshop September 18, 2009 Presenter: Dr. H. J. (Tom) Thompson

University College of the North Governance Workshop September 18, 2009 Presenter: Dr. H. J. (Tom) Thompson. Biases. Governance can be a competitive advantage Policy is a learned behaviour (i.e. education & training) President is the key to effective Governing Council

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University College of the North Governance Workshop September 18, 2009 Presenter: Dr. H. J. (Tom) Thompson

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  1. University College of the North Governance Workshop September 18, 2009 Presenter: Dr. H. J. (Tom) Thompson

  2. Biases • Governance can be a competitive advantage • Policy is a learned behaviour (i.e. education & training) • President is the key to effective Governing Council • Listening to the institutional voice is fundamental to stewardship • Human capital diversity is essential for peak performance (i.e. intellectual, reputational, political, social)

  3. Doing Better Work • Diligence – the necessity of giving attention to detail to avoid error and prevail against obstacles • Do Right – your work can be troubled by human failings like avarice, arrogance, insecurity, misunderstanding and presumptuousness • Thinking Anew – a willingness to recognize a short-coming, a failure and to not paper over the cracks, and to change ~ Dr. Atul Gawande

  4. Agenda • Session 1 (90 minutes): What is an Effective Governing Council? • Session 2 (60 minutes): Becoming an Effective Policy Governing Council. • Session 2A (30 minutes): Governance as Stewardship. • Session 3 (60 minutes): What Governing Councils Need to Know.

  5. Session 1: • What is an Effective • Governing Council?

  6. Effective Governing Councils • Focus on policy and the organization/facility performance and results • Chairperson and President provide genuine leadership • Focus externally • Shape the organization/facility direction • Assure that the vision and outcomes are achieved • Understand the complex issues • Ensure continuous improvement and cohesion

  7. Role and Responsibilities of Governing Council and President • Ends (Results) • Governing Council are responsible to affirm on behalf of ownership • President and staff work toward ends • Means (Activities) • President responsible to determine • Governing Council establish limits

  8. What Can Go Wrong? • Time on the trivial • Short-term thinking • Reactive stance • Unclear accountability

  9. New Covenant Between Governing Council and President • Less micromanagement, more macro-engagement • Both parties have partial control of complete perspective • Neither has total control of partial perspective • Governing Council more active upstream, less active downstream • Governing Council well-prepared and self-disciplined • Executives candid and open-minded

  10. Empowers the Governing Council Engages the collective mind Exploits Governing Council’s assets Enriches Governing Council’s work Enhances Governing Council’s performance Payoff • Governance • as • Stewardship

  11. What’s the Problem?

  12. Governance as Stewardship in Principle • Governance as Stewardship Generative: Type III Strategic: Type II Fiduciary: Type I

  13. Type I: Fiduciary Mode • Governing Council’s Central Purpose: • Stewardship of tangible assets • Governing Council’s Principle Role: • Sentinel • Governing Council’s Core Work: • Ensure efficient & appropriate use of resources • Ensure legal compliance & fiscal accountability • Ensure accountability • Oversee operations • Select & evaluate President

  14. Type II: Strategic Mode • Governing Council’s Central Purpose: • Strategic partnership with senior management • Governing Council’s Principle Role: • Strategist • Governing Council’s Core Work: • Scan internal and external environments • Resolve priorities • Review and modify strategic plan • Monitor performance

  15. What Is Generative Thinking? • Thinking that… • Makes sense of circumstances • Invites prior questions, alternative hypotheses • Puts perceived problems/opportunities in new light • Finds and frames new problems and opportunities • Concerns values, beliefs, and assumptions • Spawns policy, strategy, and decisions

  16. Raise operational questions Consider realities Promote logic Follow parliamentary procedure Catalyze. Analyze. • Raise introspective questions • Consider hypotheticals • Suspend logic • Promote robust discourse Generative Strategic Fiduciary

  17. Session 2: • Becoming an Effective • Policy Governing Council

  18. Becoming An Effective Policy Governing Council • Chairperson and President Relationship • Monitoring of the Division’s Performance Measures and Performance • Building and Sustaining Two-Way External Relationships • Role and Responsibilities of Governing Council • Facilitating the Development of the Values, Vision, Mission, & Development

  19. Becoming An Effective Policy Governing Council (Cont.) • Governance Policy-Based Agenda • Standing Committee Structure • Continuous Quality Improvement • Education and Training Schedule • Annual Policy and By-Law Review

  20. Ends Are The Results of The Organization’s Efforts • What are ends statements? • They include the values, vision, mission and outcomes of the organization • They frame strategic and business planning • They define – (1) what good, (2) for whom, and (3) at what cost

  21. Vision and Outcomes • The first step toward creating an improved future is developing the ability to envision it. VISION will ignite the fire of passion that fuels our commitment to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to achieve excellence. Only VISION allows us to transform dreams of greatness into the reality of achievement through human actions and behaviors. VISIONhas no boundaries and knows no limits. Our VISION is what we become in life. • Your VISION is what inspires your organization. • No EXCUSES, no EXPLANATIONS. • Do what you do!

  22. Session 2A: • Governance as Stewardship

  23. Stewardship • EVERY Governing Council has its own unique set of dispositions, gifts, skills, talents, and OPPORTUNITIES. What they all have in common, however, is the ability to apply DISCIPLINE in controlling what they do with those dispositions, gifts, skills, and talents when OPPORTUNITIES arise.

  24. Dr. H. J. (Tom) Thompson

  25. Session 3: • What Governing Council • Need to Know

  26. Governing Council • In order to accomplish their tasks, Governing Councils need to know the institution they govern, principles of Governing Council functioning, and community, provincial and national issues.

  27. Governing Council Functions • Governing Council roles • Governing Council self-evaluation requirements and processes • Act provisions, including open and closed meeting requirements • Rules for running and participating in meetings (basic parliamentary procedure)

  28. Governing Council Functions(Cont.) • Governing Council agendas and how to place items on the agenda • How to work as a member of a team or unit • How to influence Governing Council decisions

  29. Governing Council & President Relations • The differences between Governing Council and President roles and responsibilities • Compensation and contract provisions • Evaluation tools and processes • How to maintain the partnership and support the President’s leadership

  30. Community & Provincial Relations • Social, economic, and business trends and needs in the communities • Key community and business leaders and other external stakeholders • Strategies to learn about community needs and trends • Advocacy strategies • Key issues to advocate • Legislators and the political process

  31. Institutional Relations • Organizational Structure • Formal and informal organizational structure and rationale for its design • History, academic values and culture of the institution • Protocols for communicating with employees • Collective Bargaining • Compensation and contracts and the impact on the budget • Legalities of collective bargaining • Approaches to bargaining, such as adversarial and interest-based

  32. Ethics & Conflicts of Interest • Laws and regulations related to conflicts of interest • Local, provincial and national codes of ethics or standards of practice for Governing Council • How to set and enforce standards • How to reflect ethical considerations in decision-making

  33. Fiscal Responsibilities • Provincial Budget • The provincial budget development process and how to influence it • Provincial constraints and requirements for institutional budgets • How to maximize provincial allocation

  34. Fiscal Responsibilities (Cont.) • Institutional Budget • Revenue sources and expenditure categories • Governing Council responsibilities in the budget process • Institutional accountability to the province • How to read financial statements

  35. Educational Quality • Standards for student success and learning outcomes • Institutional plans (e.g. master facilities, educational and strategic plans) • Accreditation standards and other effectiveness criteria • The Governing Council’s role in accreditation

  36. Policy Decisions • Related laws and regulations • Governing Council policy and the policy-making process • Economic, social and cultural trends that affect institutional policy • How and when to use legal counsel

  37. Thank You • Dr. H. J. (Tom) Thompson • President, Olds College • tthompson@oldscollege.ca • (403) 556-8301 • www.thompsonongovernance.com

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