Comments for Jamie and Jim's Blog http://www.orboardworks.com/blog Blog Description Tue, 06 Sep 2011 02:43:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Comment on Not So Fast! Don’t Make Quick Decisions. by Jamie Orlikoff http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=216#comment-104 Jamie Orlikoff Tue, 06 Sep 2011 02:43:10 +0000 http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=216#comment-104 Frank: Thanks for your thoughtful comment. It is right on and I agree completely. Heifetz's work on techinal and adapative change is critical to good board decision making. That will be the topic of a future tip! Thanks again. Jamie Frank: Thanks for your thoughtful comment. It is right on and I agree completely. Heifetz’s work on techinal and adapative change is critical to good board decision making. That will be the topic of a future tip! Thanks again. Jamie

]]> Comment on Not So Fast! Don’t Make Quick Decisions. by Frank Carlton http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=216#comment-101 Frank Carlton Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:15:19 +0000 http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=216#comment-101 Your recommendations are right on, as far as they go. I would also steer Boards toward a strong dose of Ronald Heifetz and his basic differentiation between technical and adaptive decisions. My point being that the quality and sophistication of the information needed to make decisions is significantly more important than the speed with which decisions are made. If a Board is not aware of this fundamental difference, as a place to start, the probability of coming to an optimal decision is obviously less. I suspect that you did not want to be this complex in your recommendations and I agree that saying, "Do not be in a hurry," is a good place to start. Your recommendations are right on, as far as they go. I would also steer Boards toward a strong dose of Ronald Heifetz and his basic differentiation between technical and adaptive decisions. My point being that the quality and sophistication of the information needed to make decisions is significantly more important than the speed with which decisions are made. If a Board is not aware of this fundamental difference, as a place to start, the probability of coming to an optimal decision is obviously less. I suspect that you did not want to be this complex in your recommendations and I agree that saying, “Do not be in a hurry,” is a good place to start.

]]> Comment on Board Chair Job Descriptions by Jamie Orlikoff http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=214#comment-99 Jamie Orlikoff Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:02:41 +0000 http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=214#comment-99 Thanks Dolores. I will give some thought to the quarterback analogy for the board chair. Thanks Dolores. I will give some thought to the quarterback analogy for the board chair.

]]> Comment on Board Chair Job Descriptions by Dolores Cross http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=214#comment-97 Dolores Cross Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:45:15 +0000 http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=214#comment-97 It is a great tip. Very often the Board Chair works to be a member of the team to the detriment of his/her leadership role. The Board Chair role is analogus to that of a quarterback. It is a great tip. Very often the Board Chair works to be a member of the team to the detriment of his/her leadership role. The Board Chair role is analogus to that of a quarterback.

]]> Comment on Board Chair Job Descriptions by Jamie Orlikoff http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=214#comment-94 Jamie Orlikoff Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:00:48 +0000 http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=214#comment-94 Bob, thanks for your incisive comment. I agree with you that there is no generic job description that fits all board chairs. But, there are generic questions that can be asked and answered and issues to be addressed to create the "tailored" board chair job description that you suggest. These include the ones you mentioned, plus the philosophical approach of the board to its chair (does the chair lead the board; or, is the chair accountable to the board - more of a facilitator of governance?). They also include the tenure, style, and relationship of the CEO to the board. The key, as you point out, is an explicit discussion among the board and CEO to develop a specific job description that is relevant to that moment in time and to the specific circumstances confronting the organization and board. Thanks again! Bob, thanks for your incisive comment. I agree with you that there is no generic job description that fits all board chairs. But, there are generic questions that can be asked and answered and issues to be addressed to create the “tailored” board chair job description that you suggest. These include the ones you mentioned, plus the philosophical approach of the board to its chair (does the chair lead the board; or, is the chair accountable to the board – more of a facilitator of governance?). They also include the tenure, style, and relationship of the CEO to the board. The key, as you point out, is an explicit discussion among the board and CEO to develop a specific job description that is relevant to that moment in time and to the specific circumstances confronting the organization and board. Thanks again!

]]> Comment on Board Chair Job Descriptions by Bob DeVore http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=214#comment-93 Bob DeVore Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:24:21 +0000 http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=214#comment-93 Having been both a Board Chair, Board Member, and CEO, my comment is that the Board Chair job description should reflect the particular environment, challenges, and priorities facing the organization, and should be modified to fit the situation of the term of the Chair. There is no such thing as a "generic" Board Chair job description, just as there is no such thing as a "generic" CEO job description. By tayloring the Board Chair job descriptioon to the specific situation at the time, it forces the Board and CEO into a discussion to arrive at understanding and agreement . Having been both a Board Chair, Board Member, and CEO, my comment is that the Board Chair job description should reflect the particular environment, challenges, and priorities facing the organization, and should be modified to fit the situation of the term of the Chair. There is no such thing as a “generic” Board Chair job description, just as there is no such thing as a “generic” CEO job description. By tayloring the Board Chair job descriptioon to the specific situation at the time, it forces the Board and CEO into a discussion to arrive at understanding and agreement .

]]> Comment on Balance the Power Structure of the Board by Jamie Orlikoff http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=212#comment-89 Jamie Orlikoff Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:44:25 +0000 http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=212#comment-89 Robert, thanks for the comment. Good points. If the board has discussed this issue, and codified its approach to balancing power, and if it has a good chair job description and mechanism for holding the chair accountable, then your comments on the role of the chair are most appropriate. But if these things do not exist, relying heavily on the board chair to maintain a balanced power structure may generate the opposite result: too much power consolidated with the chair. We will follow your suggestion for more specific strategies in future Tips. Thanks! Robert, thanks for the comment. Good points. If the board has discussed this issue, and codified its approach to balancing power, and if it has a good chair job description and mechanism for holding the chair accountable, then your comments on the role of the chair are most appropriate. But if these things do not exist, relying heavily on the board chair to maintain a balanced power structure may generate the opposite result: too much power consolidated with the chair. We will follow your suggestion for more specific strategies in future Tips. Thanks!

]]> Comment on Balance the Power Structure of the Board by Robert J. Phillips http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=212#comment-88 Robert J. Phillips Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:13:01 +0000 http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=212#comment-88 The key to balancing this power and preventing centralization of power in a few is the chair of the board. The chair must be vigilant about involving all of the board in decisions. As you point out, executive committees can be a real problem. If a chair is not sensitive to the issues that arise from the centralization of power, then the governance committee must intervene to protect the long term health and functioning of the board. Some specific strategies that successful board chairs have used to balance the power and avoid its consolidation would be helpful. The key to balancing this power and preventing centralization of power in a few is the chair of the board. The chair must be vigilant about involving all of the board in decisions. As you point out, executive committees can be a real problem. If a chair is not sensitive to the issues that arise from the centralization of power, then the governance committee must intervene to protect the long term health and functioning of the board. Some specific strategies that successful board chairs have used to balance the power and avoid its consolidation would be helpful.

]]> Comment on Start the right legends by Tom Van Dawark http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=208#comment-81 Tom Van Dawark Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:05:20 +0000 http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=208#comment-81 Jamie and Jim, A great example of safety-focused board work. The organization is watching closely what actions the board takes, or as importantly does not take, regarding patient safety improvement or any other major issue for that matter. The "walk the talk" leadership responsibility is particularly important at the highest level in the organization! Two thoughts come to mind. First, legends will be most effective when the board has communicated its commitment to patient safety openly and directly with the organization. There is no more powerful message to our caregivers than the board and CEO together standing before the organization outlining a plan of action for patient safety improvement. Second, in most healthcare settings the work of the board, and in many cases who is even on the board, remains a mystery. In addition to using great examples to create legends, we need to find a way to routinely communicate the great work our boards and committees conduct on an ongoing basis. The CEO often routinely distributes an operational report, what about a section on board work? Tom Jamie and Jim,

A great example of safety-focused board work. The organization is watching closely what actions the board takes, or as importantly does not take, regarding patient safety improvement or any other major issue for that matter. The “walk the talk” leadership responsibility is particularly important at the highest level in the organization!

Two thoughts come to mind. First, legends will be most effective when the board has communicated its commitment to patient safety openly and directly with the organization. There is no more powerful message to our caregivers than the board and CEO together standing before the organization outlining a plan of action for patient safety improvement. Second, in most healthcare settings the work of the board, and in many cases who is even on the board, remains a mystery. In addition to using great examples to create legends, we need to find a way to routinely communicate the great work our boards and committees conduct on an ongoing basis. The CEO often routinely distributes an operational report, what about a section on board work?

Tom

]]> Comment on Ask “Is every doctor on this list faithfully following our quality and safety policies?” by Jim Reinertsen http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=197#comment-75 Jim Reinertsen Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:49:38 +0000 http://www.orboardworks.com/blog/?p=197#comment-75 Frank, this is too often true. But in many bylaws there is a statement to the effect that medical staff members will meet the standards established by the medical staff--usually applied to trivial things like attendance at a certain number of meetings. If this sort of statement is already in the bylaws, then they don't need to be changed in order to start holding physicians accountable to it. If the medical staff adopts strict rules for handwashing, safety protocols, and team behaviors, and considers them part of "the standards established by the medical staff," you don't need expensive lawyers to proceed. Frank, this is too often true. But in many bylaws there is a statement to the effect that medical staff members will meet the standards established by the medical staff–usually applied to trivial things like attendance at a certain number of meetings. If this sort of statement is already in the bylaws, then they don’t need to be changed in order to start holding physicians accountable to it. If the medical staff adopts strict rules for handwashing, safety protocols, and team behaviors, and considers them part of “the standards established by the medical staff,” you don’t need expensive lawyers to proceed.

]]>