1. Great organizations have Great Boards. Great Boards require board-oriented chief executives. Great Boards and their CEOs do not compete, but have separate, complementary roles and function as partners in a trust relationship.
2. A Great Board adopts a powerful mission which leads to changed lives, articulates the values and strategies to accomplish its mission, agrees on the major strategic goals, then asks the CEO to develop a Plan respecting all board policies.
3. A Great Board selects a chief executive who is equipped to advance the mission within board policy parameters. Then the board governs in ways that support, compensate, evaluate and, if necessary, terminate the CEO, always with the best interests of the organization in mind.
4. A Great Board elects a chair who is able and willing to manage the board to maintain the integrity of the structure and process which the whole board has determined is best, leaving management to the chief executive who leads within board policies.
5. A Great Board defines the criteria for new members, then selects, orients, trains, evaluates and rewards board service for those who collectively set board policies and, individually, give time, talent and treasure as volunteers.
6. A Great Board welcomes CEO/staff input in formulating policies that the board adopts and documents in an organized, written Board Policies Manual of 15-20 pages, which is improved at every meeting as the board learns and adjusts based on monitoring information the board requests.
7. A Great Board often organizes itself into committees or task forces, which speak to the board, not for the board and which do board-related work rather than supervise or advise staff on their administrative work.
8. A Great Board insists on great meetings which include good staff material in advance, time for fellowship and learning, and agendas focused on improving the Board Standing Policies Manual. Oral reports are limited in order to allow at least half the meeting time for board dialogue.
9. A Great Board insists on accountability through legal, financial and program audits; observance of the law; avoidance of conflicts of interest; assessment of results; self evaluation of the board as a whole and of individual board members; and appropriate transparency in dealing with its stakeholders.
10. A Great Board is intentional in the pursuit of excellence. Members are forward-looking, always focusing on outcomes/results. They discipline themselves and they change. They recognize, appreciate, and enjoy the process of governance!

Bob Andringa is a Managing Partner of The Andringa Group, senior consultants who share a passion for helping nonprofit leaders, their management teams, and their boards. For more information, visit www.TheAndringaGroup.com.