Little Red Bus — Your Vehicle for Building a Stronger Governing Board
The Check Up
All of the passengers on the Little Red Bus were excited as the bus left for its week-long journey. All had been involved in the planning process for the trip and all had agreed upon the itinerary for the trip.
Unfortunately, passenger excitement began to fade and turn into frustration when the bus began to experience a number of mechanical problems — the battery died, the engine overheated, and at one point the brakes began to fail.
What's going on here? Unfortunately, while the passengers had focused their attention on the trip itself, they had failed to conduct the necessary "check up" on the bus itself to see that it was in good operating condition. They knew where they wanted to go; however, they had not adequately assessed the operating condition of the bus itself.
How does this translate into the role of a governing board of an organization? Clearly, the governing board must work with organizational leadership to identify the vision for the future of the organization — the strategic plan; however, they must also periodically assess the operating system of the organization itself — the self-assessment. Both are important.
For a more specific understanding of important elements of the self-assessment, one source for information is the Minnesota Charities Review Council. Its website spells out key areas for self-assessment. Other assessment tools are also acceptable.
Questions for consideration:
- Do board members understand the difference between a self-assessment and a planning process?
- Is each of the processes addressed on an on-going basis?
- Does the self-assessment lead the board to identify and prioritize areas in need of growth/attention?
- Is appropriate action taken to address organizational needs?
For other Little Red Bus scenarios, contact the Center for Organizational Development 612–379–3817 or via e-mail.
