POLICY GOVERNANCE BOARD (CARVER MODEL) INTRODUCTION
Review NRCCS Board Governance Policies: Policies (Updated 2011)
The NRCCS board governs through policies that establish organizational aims (ends), governance approach, and management limitations and define the Board/Director relationship. The Director has broad freedom to determine the means that will be used to achieve organizational aims. The Director reports to the full Board. It does not use committees but may use task teams to assist the Board in specific aspects of its work.
-
The Board governs through policies that establish:
- Organizational aims (ends)
- Governance approach
- Management limitations
- Board/Director relationship
It is the Board’s responsibility to define desired ends or outcomes (mission and objectives) and the Director’s responsibility to define and implement the means for achieving these. The Board is also responsible for establishing limitations on management authority and defining the governing process itself (board structure and processes). It does this through establishment of policies.
“Because policies permeate and dominate all aspects of organizational life (and) present the most powerful lever for the exercise of leadership”. (Carver, 1990, p. 28)
This approach is commonly referred to as the Carver Model. Volunteer Board members set the organizational mission, direction and general policies governing operations. It advocates that boards focus their attention on “what human needs are (to be) satisfied, for whom, and at what cost.” (Carver, 1990, p.193). The Board, rather than the Director, leads this process.
The Director reports to the whole board and only the full board provides direction. The Board “speaks with one voice” in its direction to the Director and on all other matters within its areas of responsibility. The Director has broad freedom to determine the means that will be used to achieve organizational ends. All operational matters are delegated to the Director. The Board monitors and holds the Director accountable for compliance with its policies. (reprinted from the INSTITUTE ON GOVERNANCE)
For further information on the Carver Model of governance:
INSTITUTE ON GOVERNANCE
CARVERGOVERNANCE.COM