Boards and senior managers need to build relationships based on reciprocity if they want to ensure a harmonious working relationship. Rick Bond explains.
Ive probably mentioned this before, but theres no harm in repeating it: for me, a telling indicator of an organisations health is the quality of the relationship that exists between its trustees (directors) and their management team.
I regularly conduct organisational reviews and health-checks for arts organisations and have yet to find a healthy, thriving organisation that doesnt have a mutually supportive, clear working relationship between the two parties concerned. Another key indicator, by the way, is the existence of an appropriate training policy backed up by a budget but thats another story. Ive written in the past about the need for boards and management teams to clarify their respective roles and responsibilities to avoid overbearing behaviour by either party (wittingly or unwittingly). (AP issue 99, 6 June 2005, p16, if you fancy a glance).
Mutual respect
So, lets assume that (and forgive me, but Im assuming youre a manager here), you know your job and your trustees know theirs. Why go further? Well, high-flying organisations, committed to ensuring everybody does their own jobs well, are also committed to ensuring everyone has a responsibility towards helping others to do theirs. Think of it as a mutually supporting virtuous circle.
Being a level-headed, caring individual (which, after all, is what the arts is supposed to create so lead by example!) you can, and should, help your board perform their tasks effectively. Why? Well, if you help trustees play their part, two things should happen. First, good governance creates a positive environment within which management, and the work they do, thrives. Second, trustees should respect and appreciate the support you have given them in helping them do their job and be keen to reciprocate accordingly. Theyll get the idea that the more they enable you to do your job, the better the work you do that will help them to do theirs. (You may need to read that a couple of times.)
All very lovely, but such states of affairs tend not to naturally evolve without the influence of a little formal structuring. Your first step, should you be excited by the possibilities, is to get all parties concerned to agree the principle of mutual support. Those of you with enlightened organisations committed to annual Away-days where management teams and trustees can break bread together, should look to include this topic on the agenda. The second step is to agree an informal, reciprocal contract to kick-start the process. This contract sets out the management and trustee commitment to helping the other party do their job. It can be jointly signed by both parties.
The very act of asking trustees to sign a commitment or promise agreement can be challenging. However, ask yourself, if a trustee is unwilling to agree to practices that are in any event, enshrined within their legal fiduciary duties, are they really going to be an asset to the board? And, if you are reading this as a trustee, the same question applies to management staff. Nurturing trust and respect within teams requires a little work!
Good practice
Commitments do not, and should not, have huge implications in terms of workloads, they should relate simply to good working practices. A key requirement in preparing them is that they should be based on consensual agreement not imposed. When considering a commitment, discuss how and what benefits will be accrued to understand its value. I include a sample agreement to help you, but dont be fettered by it. In fact, Id love to hear about other commitments and the benefits they deliver, should you come up with some. A good starting point is to remember occasions when problems occurred in the past due to misunderstandings, assumptions, incomplete information or just a lack of communication. What simple factor would have prevented these from spoiling someones day?
Rick Bond is the Director of The Complete Works (UK) Ltd, specialising in facilitating management insights, solutions and training for arts and cultural organisations.
t: 01598 710698.
e: rick@thecompleteworks.org.uk
w: http://www.thecompleteworks.org.uk
Commitment of Trustees
In accepting my duties and responsibilities as a trustee, I make this commitment to this organisation and its staff:
- To act solely in the interests of the charity
- To declare all actual or potential conflicts of interest
- To respect the collective authority of the Board and not to act unilaterally
- To respect confidentiality
- To make available the necessary time
- To use my skills and experience for the benefit of the organisation
- To attend Board meetings, having prepared fully
- To support the Artistic Director, Administrator and management of the charity
- Where appropriate, to challenge management but always to do so constructively and always acting solely in the best interest of the charity
- To work in partnership with staff to achieve the mission of the organisation, understanding and respecting the different but complementary roles of trustees and staff
- To regularly and collectively reflect on how the Board fulfils its responsibilities.
Commitment of the Management Team
In accepting my appointment to this organisation, I make this commitment to support its trustees by:
- Providing the Board, where required, with timely, high-quality information in order to allow the Board to make informed decisions
- Providing the Board with timely advice ensuring that external professional advisers are available as and when needed
- Keeping the Board informed of challenges on the horizon and changes in the external environment that may impact on the charity
- Working in partnership with the Board to ensure it fulfils all its moral, statutory and legal responsibilities
- Investing time and other resources to help develop good governance
- Giving time to new trustees to explain my role and responsibilities and how they support the work of the organisation
- Ensuring that our Induction Handbook is available and regularly updated by me with procedures, systems and other information concerning my role and responsibilities
- Working in partnership with relevant committees to ensure that new trustees receive relevant and timely information and support, and that all briefings, training and relevant publications are available to all trustees
- To provide the honorary officers and trustees with the necessary administrative and other support they need to govern well
- To respect the different but complementary roles of trustees and staff.