ACROSS THE BOARD

The Board and CEO Partnership

Understanding the unique roles of the board and the CEO can foster a fruitful partnership in which boards do not micro-manage and CEOs do not see their boards as people they must "put up with."

Dr. Ted Fiickinger IAPD Executive Director

The rule of thumb is: The board consults with the chief executive and establishes policies, and the chief executive administers these policies and reports their effectiveness, or need for modification, to the board.

The success of a park district or forest preserve depends on a harmonious relationship among board members and the chief executive...the building of a leadership team. The foundation for this partnership must be built on mutual respect, consultation, free and constructive critical discussion, a wholesome process of give- and-take, and a recognition of the complementary roles that each partner plays in building the leadership team.

Each partner (board member and CEO) has specific, separate responsibilities, as well as common, shared ones. Each must understand their respective roles, learn to make adjustments, and exercise restraint in impinging on the other's function. "When this process of ad- justment is worked through by the board and the chief executive in a spirit of confidence and respect, effective leadership for the agency can be developed and maintained.

Making the Partnership Work

There are a variety of relationships between boards and their chief executives—some good, some not so good. Unfortunately, sometimes you will find the board president trying to operate the agency, or a board member attempting to dictate policy without approval from other board members. Some board members like to call the agency staff and give them directives. These are not examples of good boardmanship.

What is the flip-side? In some cases, the chief executive takes an attitude that the less the board knows about what is going on in the agency the better off things will be. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Perhaps there is never an ideal situation, but the rule of thumb is: The board consults with the chief executive and establishes policies, and the chief executive administers these policies and reports their effectiveness, or need for modification, to the board.

The chief executive and the board must act in unison demonstrating a spirit of cooperation and an attitude that joint decisions are most often the best decision. When decisions cannot be reached, then compromise should be the order of the day. Citizen in and expertise from diverse board member backgrounds is an essential value that the chief executive must incorporate in his or her management approach. Frank, truthful, and frequent communication between the partners is absolutely necessary.

A Message to Chief Executives

Some chief executives see their boards as burdens rather than as resources—people they must "put up with." Chief executives who see board members as another special interest they have to try to satisfy are usually not very successful.

Board members will admit that they are not as knowledgeable about the organization as their chief executives. They are not expected to be. They are "sounding boards" and should be highly respected for their roles and responsibilities in park and recreation services.

Following are specific ways the chief executive can help form a winning partnership with his or her board.

• Board members want feedback from the chief executive on the effects of their decisions.

Some board members complain that they approve thousands, even millions, of dollars of expenditures, but never hear about them or the impact the agency has on the public it serves. Board members want to hear about successes, not just the failures. Keep them informed.

• Make them comfortable about trusting you.

Always be loyal. Board members are ultimately responsible for everything that goes on with the agency, including what they delegate to the chief executive.

• Assist your board members in their duties and policy- making responsibilities.

Tell them the issues, what the options are, and the negative and positive points. Make recommendations. But don't look for a rubber stamp. Create opportunities for the board to be creative, to plan, and to develop strategies to meet your current mission and fu-

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THE BOARD AND CEO PARTNERSHIP

ture goals. Make them part of the total organization.

• Support the board's actions.

This is a team effort. As the chief executive expects board members to live by fellow board members' decisions, so must the chief executive adhere to this practice.

Work at Good Communication

Good communication between the board and the chief executive must not be assumed. Both must work at it. The confidence and trust board members have in a chief executive are closely related to how well the chief executive communicates with them.

What information about agency operations should the chief executive give to members of the board? Whatever they want and need to fulfill their responsibilities. The chief executive's relationship with board members is often measured by how well the board is informed. The chief executive, by keeping the board informed, retains its trust.

It is certainly the responsibility of the chief executive to keep the board well informed of the operations of the agency, but not all the minute details. The chief executive who asks for advice on every problem is really giving the responsibility of managing the agency to the board members.

However, the chief executive must remember that board members change and priorities change. What the board wanted three years ago, it might not want today. It is the job of the chief executive to get to know the board members, their thinking, their philosophy, and what they feel is important.

The best chief executives are those who constantly stay on top of their boards' priorities. What direction do they want the agency to go? The chief executive should help the board focus on planning. When board members plan for the future of the agency, they are also planning the chief executive's work.

Minimize Conflicts

It is difficult to be a chief executive and please every board member.

Boards traditionally resist change. Many board members wish to maintain the status quo. "Why change it when it seems to be working this way?" or "We've always done it this way." However, a good chief executive will try to find ways to improve operations which often necessitates making changes and creates conflict. A competent chief executive will attempt to make changes gradually. The chief executive who makes budget projections for two to three years is actually preparing the board for changes and new improvements.

The chief executive should find out what the boards "sacred cows" are and cautiously make changes in those particular areas. It will take a year or more to convince the board that changes in services and operations, depending on the particular area, are necessary. Board members must also keep an open mind regarding changes and scrutinize recommendations made by the chief executive.

If something is bothering you as a board member, talk to the chief executive on a one-to-one basis, not in front of others. Never openly criticize the chief executive in public or use the chief executive as a scapegoat. Involve the board president if there is a major problem. But remember the chief executive works for the board as a whole, not for an individual board member.

Board/Staff Relationships

The board should have a very limited relationship with the agency's staff.

There is nothing wrong with socializing with staff and having staff/board functions. But, if board members start interfering in staff matters or listening to the staffs complaints about their jobs, the chief executive, or the agency, then board members have gone beyond their boundaries. Official communications between the board and staff should be through the chief executive.

The chief executive manages the agency and the staff, including hiring and firing. This is not a board function. Moreover, staff members should not be a part of the board's evaluation of the chief executive. The board never evaluates through the staff.

The two words "information" and "communication" are often used interchangeably, but they signify different interpretation.

Information is "giving out," communication is "getting through."

May/June 1997 / 7