“Don’t speak and we can all get out of here”: how early experiences shape the (dis)engagement of governors
My first experience of working with a board was in 2005 when I took on the role of a Parent Governor at a local authority maintained primary school, in the UK. The board was a reasonable size, eight of us, which included the school principal as an ex officio member. Having never worked with a board before, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
I can still remember my first meeting, sitting around a table listening to the Board Chair and the Principal work through the agenda. I didn’t speak in the two hours that we were there and I don’t remember anyone else contributing either. I had things I wanted to say, but there didn’t seem to be an opportunity. The agenda was long, and the message I received (whether intentional or not) was, ‘don’t speak and we can all get out of here more quickly!’
My purpose for volunteering, I must admit, was less than optimal, and left me with the question: what is my role as a trustee? As I look back, I recall that my main motivation was that I wasn’t happy with the experience my child was having in school and I was looking for a way to influence it, understand it, or change it.
In the meetings that followed that school year, trustee attendance became sporadic. I don’t know the reason for this, but if I had to guess based on how I felt at the time, I would say that they probably didn’t feel they were able to make any difference by being there. As a board, we had not established ways of working, and without the necessary training, we were ill equipped to support the strategic planning that is the cornerstone of any successful board.
Twenty years after this first board experience, I can now look back and reflect on my time as a parent trustee. I have come to understand the importance of training in helping trustees grasp the principles of good governance, emphasising transparency and accountability in effective decision making. Had I received trustee training, I believe that I would have better understood my roles and responsibilities as a trustee, extinguishing my personal agenda and creating space for me to successfully contribute to and shape a healthy, generative board.
To finish I pose some questions in the hope they are useful to prompt the thinking of others connected to governance.
For trustees:
- What is the role of a trustee?
- How does the mission and vision of the organisation you serve align with your own values?
- What is the authentic contribution you can make as a governor?
For leaders and executives working with a board:
- How can you create the conditions for trustees to feel valued in their work?
- How can you leverage the expertise of your trustees?
- How might governor training support generative discussions?
Did you know? Holono-Me offers training for trustees in how to work in partnership with the people they serve. Click here for more information.