Governance as Leadership

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The Boston FoundationDecember 15, 2004
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Whats the Problem?
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What kind of governing do modern organizations
demand?

• Effective leaders see organizations as they
  really are
• Complex, multi-dimensional
• Partly non-rational
• Venues that demand multiple modes
• The board sees organizations as we wish they
  were
• Simple
• Rational
• Amenable to governance by task and structure

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The Governance Triangle
Governance as Leadership
Type II StrategicThe LogicalOrganization
Type III GenerativeThe ExpressiveOrganization
Type I FiduciaryThe Productive Organization
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Generative Thinking

• Definition A cognitive process for
  deciding what to pay attention to,
  what it means, and what to do about it.
• Familiar version Paradigm shifts
• Less familiar Organizational process
• Implication Made explicit, generative
  thinking is governance

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Locating Generative Thinking
The Generative Curve
Looming, Nagging, Intriguing
Opportunity for Generative Work
Plans, Strategies, Technical Solutions
Time
The opportunity to influence generative work
declines as issues are framed and converted into
plans, strategies, and problems.
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The Generative Dilemma
Generative Curve
Amount
Typical Board Involvement Curve
Time
Trustee involvement is lowest where generative
opportunity is greatest trustee involvement
increases as generative opportunity declines.
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Generative Thinking in Organizations
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Generative Thinking Four Scenarios
Staff Engagement
High
Trustee Engagement
Low