Task Force on Governance Recommendations Overview Council Meeting

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Task Force on GovernanceRecommendations
OverviewCouncil Meeting
June 24, 2006 Presented by Sheri Schellhaass,
Task Force Chair
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Governance Task Force Charge

• Recommend a governance model for IFT that
  facilitates flexible decision making.
• Revise or create systems for feedback and input
  from various stakeholder groups.
• Suggest policies that delineate clear authority
  and responsibility for volunteer governance
  entities.

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Task Force Members
Dick Hall IFT Past President
Dennis Heldman IFT Incoming
President
Ross Clark CP Kelco
Sheri Schellhaass (Chair) General
Mills
Ellen Bradley Consultant
Barbara Byrd Keenan IFT Executive
VP
Margaret Lawson IFT President
Michele Perchonok NASA/JSC
Liz Seidlitz IFT Executive Office
Mark Uebersax Michigan State
University
Taylor Wallace IFT Student
Association Incoming President
Heather Lang IFT
Director Executive Communications
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Our Strategic Process

• Read many books and articles
• Interviewed nonprofit organizations
• Shared our own experiences in IFT
• Debated
• Discussed
• Drafted
• Reviewed
• Discussed
• Reached consensus agreement

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Our Journey

• Research
• Education
• Consulting with Experts
• Learning from Others
• Outreach
• Establishing Framework for Action
• -Guiding Principles
• -Testing Assumptions
• -Assessing Current Functions and Activities
• Preparing our Recommendations

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Our Purpose

• We know what we are, but know not what we may
  be.
• William Shakespeare
• Our hope and purpose is to recommend a
  structure that advances the profession, the
  careers, and the professional organization of our
  members. Our governance structure must support
  the following Vision Forward Looking
  Leadership Financial Stability/Viability
  Welcoming Network Clear Delineations of Roles
  and Responsibilities Opportunity for Alliances.

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The Scope of Governance

• Governance is the link between the organizations
  (IFTs) resources, decision-making processes, and
  work. It is the organizational structure and
  process that unites work and the decision-making
  process.
• It does not reflect ALL organizational structures
  and processes within IFT.

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IFT Governance is not

• Staff organization and processthis is
  management, not governance
• Divisions have existing functional structure and
  although important, not part of this Task Forces
  charge
• Sections have existing functional structure and
  although important, not part of this Task Forces
  charge

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First Task Force Charge

• Recommend a governance model for IFT that
• facilitates flexible decision making.

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Our Guiding Principles

• The following guiding principles were identified
  by the Task Force,
• serve as a roadmap for IFTs governance
  revitalization.
• Use a knowledge-based mission-driven approach
• Be flexible and nimble in the 21st century,
  while reflecting IFTs history and culture
• Include provisions for the assurance of financial
  viability
• Become alert and responsive to current trends and
  future trends and issues and proactively seize
  opportunities

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Our Guiding Principles

• Emphasize strategic planning, leadership and
  review of results
• Outline clear delineation of roles and
  responsibilities with accompanying authority and
  clear accountability for measurable results
• Include a priority focus on leadership
  development and meaningful member work and
  involvement
• Ensure improved responsiveness to member needs
  and multiple channels of access for members

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Knowledge-Based Governance

• It encompasses
• Ends versus means
• Results/deliverables versus checks and
  balances/how things are being done
• Delivering vision/strategy and being held
  accountable for results

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Nimbleness

• It is NOT, everyone is responsibleno one is
  accountable.
• The presence of clarity on what will constitute
  success at a more discrete level of
  outcome-oriented goals.
• Work done in an appropriate amount of time and in
  an appropriate way
• The ability of an organizations
  leadershipvolunteers in partnership with
  staffto identify and act on the right things and
  to make decisions in a timely manner.

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Nimbleness

• Nimbleness is about determining what not to do,
  because in order to be nimble, an association
  must be able to juggle existing resources and
  re-deploy them from one project to another as
  appropriate.
• Nimble organizations can tolerate risk and
  mistakes. They carry a cultural implication that
  is permissible to take informed risks and to make
  honest mistakes, as long as work and
  decision-making groups are able to find
  appropriate solutions and move onto the right
  path in a timely fashion.
• While nimbleness needs boundaries, parameters
  must be wide enough to seize opportunities.
• New technology-enabled methods of work (i.e. ways
  of accomplishing things other than through
  meetings) tend to enhance nimbleness.

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Checks and Balances vs. Trust

• Trust and nimbleness are inextricably linked
• Members want to trust their leaders to make the
  right decisions
• leaders want to trust their volunteers and
  staff to accomplish things
• Assume competence, intentions, honesty and
  commitment and not incompetence and malice.

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2007 IFT Proposed Governance Model
Membership
Board of Directors Current President Incoming
President Past President Treasurer 12 Elected
Members Executive Vice President Current
President, Student Member Incoming President,
Student Member Chair of the IFT Foundation
Office of the President
Executive Vice President and Staff
Constitutionally Required Committees
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IFT Executive Committee Name Change

• The Executive Committee approved the
  recommendations of the Task Force on Board
  Leadership Development at their July 2005 meeting
  in New Orleans. One recommendation included a
  name change for the Executive Committee to Board
  of Directors.
• Any reference to the Board of Directors within
  our recommendations equates to the currently
  comprised Executive Committee.
• The Executive Committee has referred this name
  change to the Committee on Constitution and
  Bylaws for incorporation into IFTs governing
  documents.

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Board of Directors

• This is the legally and fiscally responsible body
  
• comprising 20 members
• Past, Current, and Incoming Presidents (Voting)
• Treasurer appointed by Board for multiple years
  (Non-voting)
• 12 Elected Members (Voting) Four elected each
  year
• Executive Vice President (Non-voting ex-officio)
• Current President, Student Member (ex-officio, 1
  year)
• Incoming President, Student Member (Non-voting)
• Chair of the IFT Foundation (Non-voting
  ex-officio)

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Governance Structure Process

• Board Elections
• Elected members of the Board will be elected by
  the general membership.
• Foundation Representation
• To appropriately ensure a complete link between
  the IFT governing body and IFT fundraising body,
  there is the addition of the Foundation President
  as an ex-officio non-voting member.
• Treasurer
• The Treasurer will continue to be appointed by
  the Board based on financial expertise. Due to
  the appointed versus elected nature of this
  position, the position will remain non-voting.
  The current three-year term for the Treasurer
  will remain, with an option for a second
  three-year term, as it is currently.

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Rationale

• IFTs Board (Executive Committee) should be the
  legally and financially responsible body.
• IFTs Board (Executive Committee) structure and
  size is appropriate.
• All voting members should be elected by the
  general voting membership.
• Office of the President structure and size is
  appropriate.
• President model allows for continuity.