The Policy Governance Model & the Role of the Board Member

Carver Policy Governance Guide #1

by John Carver, Miriam Carver

The Carver Policy Governance Guide series includes six booklets that offer board members a description of John Carver's Policy Governance model of board leadership. Policy Governance enables a board to fulfill its accountability to its organization's "owners," whether the owners are association members, city residents, company shareholders, or a community of interest. Policy Governance addresses the board's engagement in financial, programmatic, and personnel matters; roles of officers and committees; reporting and evaluation; agendas; and other aspects of the board job. The Policy Governance Model and the Role of the Board Member sets out a clear vision for excellence in board leadership. It gives board members an understanding of the concepts and principles that are at the very heart of John Carver's innovative Policy Governance model. This guide details members' main tasks and presents the guidelines needed to transform a board into an effective group that consistently leads powerfully. The Policy Governance model is based on the functions rather than the structure of a governing board. It outlines commonsense principles about governing that fit together into an entire system. The practices of the Policy Governance board, which are consistent with the principles, allow it to control without meddling, focus on long-term organizational outputs, powerfully delegate to a CEO and staff, and discharge its fiduciary responsibility in a visionary, strategic manner. Because the model is a total system, the Carver Policy Governance Guide series offers boards a complete set of principles for fulfilling their various obligations.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

48 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2009

Reviews

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good stuff. Every person who serves on a board ought to read this, and memorize parts of it.

[Amber Thiessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Began a new role serving on a national missions board, so I've got some learning to do :) This is a short booklet providing an overview of the policy governance model. Very to the point with lots of information. I highlighted a lot.

[Aaron Hixson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tough to read

Brilliant perspective

Terrible, terrible diagrams.

[Matthew Richey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful, but not particularly scintillating reading, but no one would expect it to be.

[Chuck Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief introduction to the policy governance model of governance. I've read his lengthier books, too, but this was a good review in preparation for a "Policy Governance Boot Camp" that I attended in Grand Rapids, Michigan, early in September.