Marathon, Not a Sprint: Embedding a New Governance Model

Synopsis
Organizations and ministries often wait until something becomes too painful to endure before they’re ready to make a change. Then they want the remedy to happen immediately. In most cases, whether it’s capital fundraising or implementing a new governance model, it takes time to do it right. Governance Systems Professional Tim Kurth explains why you should allow plenty of time to adopt and adapt to a new governing model and why it’s worth the effort. 

Article
Several months ago, I finally stopped procrastinating and visited the dentist to deal with a chipped tooth. Her remedy was to suggest a crown. Not only for the tooth in question but the one next to it as well. I agreed, and the work was done. However, over the next few days, an infection set in, and I was in some of the worst pain I have ever experienced. I called the dentist, stopped by the office and even dropped in unannounced over the course of three days. I needed relief immediately and wasn’t keen on waiting for medicine to kick in. If it was quick relief, I think I would’ve consented to anything, even if it wasn’t the best remedy. 

This reminded me of many ministries with which I’ve consulted through the years. They deal with the pain of deferred maintenance or debt or tight quarters or a dysfunctional board until it hurts so bad they just need it to stop. At that point, it’s hard to convince them that the right remedy will take time, effort and patience that will not produce the relief they’re looking for as quickly as they would like. Some have proceeded with a quick fix remedy that usually exacerbated the problem. Others decided to continue living with the pain. Some gritted their teeth (pun intended) and took the necessary time and effort to pursue the best remedy. 

A board that knows where it fits, understands what its role is and has a coherent model of governance is a blessing. Too often, boards are confused about their role, getting involved in operations where they shouldn’t, not understanding their place in the organization, failing to tend to proper board responsibilities, and they don’t have a model of governance guiding them. When a ministry identifies board behavior as their point of pain, they usually want a quick fix. This could include replacing board members, appointing a new board chair or rigorously enforcing new rules about board meetings, like following Robert’s Rules of Order. 

Principles Based Governance
Without a clear and coherent governing model, these quick fixes quickly fall apart. Kurt Senske, in his book The CEO and the Board, stresses the importance of having a governing model. An excellent model for governance is the Principles Based Governance model, built on the 10 principles first articulated by John Carver. The process of adopting and implementing the Principles Based Governance model is a time-consuming process. But writing policies and putting them into practice is just the beginning. This is due, in part, to the fact that most boards, even those that claim to have a model like Policy Governance or Policy Based Governance (two similar but slightly different models) often aren’t really following the model. The board took the steps to write policy and then stopped doing all the maintenance work required to sustain the model.  

Principles Based Governance, like any model, starts with writing policy and implementing that policy. The model only works if the board then religiously adheres to the model. It must follow through with onboarding new members, reviewing policy at every board meeting, holding itself accountable to the policies that pertain to the board itself, holding accountable the executive for keeping all those policies delegated to him or her, maintaining an annual calendar of meetings and retreats, reading about the governing model, and making sure there is at least one champion of the model keeping them faithful to it. At Sioux Falls Lutheran School in South Dakota, one of the original authors of their policy manual still attends board meetings, though he’s no longer on the board, just to sit in the background and observe. When he sees the board straying from the model, he’ll alert the current board chair so that correction can be made. 

Maintain the Model
This may seem like too much, but embedding a governance model into your ministry is a marathon endeavor. Governance experts suggest it takes five to seven years of diligent adherence to a governing model for it to become embedded in your culture. Even then, it’s important that someone is watching to make sure the board doesn’t begin to lose its discipline. The alternative is falling back into old habits and returning to a place of pain and dysfunction while the previous board’s good work gathers dust in a corner. 

When your ministry is ready to enjoy a fully functioning board that is advancing your work effectively, contact Lutheran Church Extension Fund. We can guide you through the process of implementing Principles Based Governance and put you on a path to a better future. 

Contact Tim Kurth at Tim.Kurth@lcef.org to work together to move your ministry forward.