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BOARDMANSHIP INSIGHTS The Board/Director relationship

Dr. Ted Flickinger IAPD Executive Director

The board and director of the agency constitute the leadership team. This partnership philosophy identifies that board members working together are responsible to the citizens of the community for the satisfactory operation of the park, recreation or conservation agency. The board and director each have specific responsibilities.

In general, the role of executive and staff is to provide park and recreation programs and services relevant to the agency's mission, goals and objectives. The board's chief responsibility is that of determining and providing the conditions under which the staff can render quality services. This relationship is not one of "we" and "them." Joint responsibilities involve various areas, but probably none are as important as policy formulation and planning.

The Board Determines Policy

Policy determination is the responsibility of the board alone. The board determines the basic policies. It either initiates the policies or passes upon those proposed by the director. The director should be the only staff contact with the board on agency policy matters.

As social and environmental conditions change, so do the planning and policies of the agency. The board and executive must re-think and re-evaluate the policies and services of the agency. Traditionally, the board establishes personnel policies. It adopts the annual budget and acts on the salary schedules.

More recently, the board role has changed to one of representing the community, passing board policies, adopting the annual budget, and working with the executive in developing long-range plans. The director, with staff, implements board policies efficiently, effectively and with enthusiasm, even when staff disagree with the policy. The board and executive should learn from one another.

Diversity Is Healthy

Professionals in parks and recreation, and board members representing other fields, tend to become inbred in their areas of specialty. It is amazing what different perspectives are generated from the thinking of a variety of people, yet this is healthy. The executive should never permit his staff to criticize publicly (through oral or written communication) the views of a board member. This practice, if condoned, will immediately break down confidence between the executive and the board.

The director finds that his board members come from different walks of life and professions totally unrelated to parks, recreation and conservation. Yet, all of the board members and staff are in pursuit of a public cause. With this diversity of board members, the director will experience extremes of opinions. Often times the new perspectives allow the staff to re-evaluate techniques and practices of the park and recreation profession. The director should not side with a few members on his board. The director who identifies with one group, or plays one group against another, will eventually lose the confidence of the rest of his board.

It is difficult for the director to work with policy-making boards if a board member serves only as a special interest individual, selfish in understanding others rights and only emphasizing the service he or she personally desires. This is a tunnel vision approach.

Thus, board members and the executive should always be alert to potential new board members who demonstrate a willingness to serve the agency unselfishly. Citizens should be recruited for the board who are able, willing and highly skilled in the art of working with other people and solving problems through a democratic method. Such board members carry on the great American tradition of caring and sharing, leaving their community a better place to live, work and play because of their input as a democratically effective board member.

Our parks and recreation agencies will be more effective because the board and executive practice group thinking, planning, policy-making decisions and actions which are based upon the pooling and modification of all the ideas of each individual in the group. This is democratic leadership of placing value on group opinions. Defining the Board and Director's Responsibilities Many gray areas exist between where authority begins and ends with the director and his relationship with the board. Agencies need a clear-cut list of responsibili-

More recently, the board role has changed to one of representing the community, passing board policies, adopting the annual budget, and working with the executive in developing long-range plans.

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BOARDMANSHIP INSIGHTS

ties for board members and me director. It is the job of thedirector to define these areas and review them regularly with board members. Often times, these responsibilities can be handled at a special board meeting or as one of the agenda items at a retreat.

The director should tell the board what he feels are his responsibilities and the responsibilities of the board. Again, you have to go back to what is policy-making and what is policy implementation. The board handles the "what" and the director handles the "how" in policy implementation. The board makes decisions that set direction for the agency, and they make decisions as a board (as a whole) and not as individuals. In some instances where the lines cannot be clearly defined, it will involve joint decisions on the parr of the director and the board.

It is incumbent upon the director to make a list of various responsibilities. One list should identify responsibilities that require a joint decision. A second list is for the director and his staff's responsibilities. A third list is for the board. For instance:

• Who hires employees?
• Who disciplines employees?
• Who sets the agenda for the monthly meetings?
• Who is responsible for purchasing a new computer or telephone system?
• Who determines salaries for staff members?
• Who sends staff members to seminars, workshops, state and national conferences?
• Who selects the firm that will audit the agency?
• Who establishes the annual goals for the agency?
• Who appoints members to an advisory committee or task force to study particular problems?
• Who establishes fees for programs?
• Who invests surplus monies?
• Who decides cutback of services to stay within the budget?
• Who gives recognition awards to outstanding staff and members of the community?
• Who awards contracts to vendors?
• Who seeks bids for projects?
• Who develops the director's evaluation form?
• Who hires legal counsel for the agency?

The board and director should make a list of other questions and discuss each at a retreat or board meeting designed for this purpose. One of the board's most important responsibilities is the selection of a professionally qualified director to give sound advice to the board, as well as to administer the recreation and park system in accordance with the board's policies.

Board/Executive Relations

Board members and the executive should have a total agency perspective. The quality of the working relationship between the board must take responsibility for basic policies and their consequences. It also must give the executive the authority and flexibility to act decisively. The board and the executive should recognize and respect the appropriate and unique role each has in governing and providing information. Trust and confidence should be honored by the board and the executive.

• Is there a climate of mutual trust and support between the board and the executive?
• Has the board delegated to the executive the authority he or she needs to administer the agency successfully?
• Does the executive keep the board fully informed (and vice versa)?
• Does the executive have a clear sense of where his or her responsibilities begin and end with respect to the board's responsibilities?
• Does the board have a clear sense of the delineation between"policy" issues and "management" issues?
• Is the board clear and consistent in its expectations of the performance of the executive?

When their roles are worked through by the board and the director in a spirit of confidence and respect, effective leadership for the agency can be developed and maintained. •

November/December 2000 / 7