What’s new?
CEO’s and Chairs put on their generative thinking caps
Governance as leadership: unleashing the leadership potential of voluntary
sector boards
Board members have a vital role to think and govern like leaders. The approach
captioned, ‘Governance as Leadership’ indicates how they can do just that. By
drawing on theories that have reshaped the concept and practice of leadership
trustee boards can reframe the purpose and practice of governance. Looking at
three modes of governance that taken together produce a high performing board,
trustees and the Chief Executive and unleash the leadership potential of the board.
It may sound biological, but generative thinking is a new way of making boards so effective that you’ll be hearing more about this approach in years to come.
Recently a keen group of CEOs and Chairs came together as part of NCVO’s Leadership Programme for Chief Executives and Chairs to find out how generative thinking could enhance board performance. The brainchild of US authors Barbara Taylor, Richard Chait and William Ryan, the novel approach can add value to the work of the trustee board. Participating Chief Executives and Chairs explored the ways this new approach can help trustees boost creative input into their organisations and improve governance practice at the same time.
Defining the terms, it became clear that generative thinking differs from fiduciary thinking (compliance mode: Are we following the rules?) and strategic thinking (planning mode: How do we get from here to there?). Generative thinking delves deeper than either, touching the heart of the mission and the long-term future of the organisation.
Tapping board creativity
With roots in organisational values, traditions and beliefs, generative thinking
allows trustees to evaluate the past and place current challenges in a new light.
It offers a way for the board to discern, frame and confront problems and make
sense of the environment —work that needs to be done in order for the other activity,
fiduciary and strategic, to be meaningful.
Committed as always to the practical, the group turned this intriguing theory into action. Activities such as retreats, themed meetings and board development exercises that include an element of play (yes, play) help groups change their mind-set and spark new ways of thinking about old problems.
Seminar participants were treated to a table full of toys, examples of the kinds of props that can be used to change a group dynamic and ease them into the generative mode. By capturing the group process through careful recording and identifying action points along the way, generative ideas can evolve into proper board policy, and thence into organisational strategy.
Striking a balance
But just as the group was thinking that their board meetings would be pure fun
from now on, the group was reminded that generative thinking is not the answer
to every problem. Indeed, not every issue has a generative angle.
While it brings a needed dimension to trustee work, emphasizing the creative role of the board, generative thinking cannot replace the governing body’s more obviously practical activities such as monitoring and strategic planning.