It is essential for governing boards to be excellent communicators. This means they have to make may decisions prior to engaging in any form of communication on a long-term basis. The best boards
- have an agreed upon method for solving internal disputes
- have an accepted method for resolving disputes with stakeholders
- know what decisions are made by majority rule, 2/3 of a majority or by consensus
- acknowledge and accept the decision-making power they assign to their executive committee, board chair or committees
- outline when information is confidential and uphold that standard
- know who makes what decisions and who announces those decisions
- refrain from keeping items on the agenda month after month knowing that they have no intention of resolving the issues
- priortize the agenda items to ensure decisions are made in a timely manner
- identify what they need to communicate to each other
- agree on the items which require consultation with specific stakeholders and what will be communicated.
More specifically, they answer the questions outlined in this diagram:
The answers may be outlined in a communication plan which is designed by each board based on
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its own needs,
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the technological means available,
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the budget
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stakeholders’ expectations,
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the roles assigned to the board chair, committee chairs, individual board members and the CEO
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the results of past evaluations which help determine the most effective means of communication, the best timing, and the number of times each message needs to be communicated before it is received.
Each board also needs to determine if it is going to use social media as a way of communicating with key stakeholders.
Open transparent communication is the key to the success of any board. It takes time to create a communication plan and dedication to ensure it is followed and evaluated.
