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Building good relationships between a CEO and the trustee board - Anonymous

Robyn Freya Archard Former Community Manager - Your new Community Manager is Ocean King at CharityConnect Posted 6 years ago

This question is from a member of our community that wishes to remain anonymous:
''What are your tips for a new CEO of a small charity working with a Trustee board for the first time? I don't really feel our current working relationship is working very well, as sometimes it seems as though we are moving in very different directions and have unclear ideas about what we can expect from each other.''
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A CharityConnect User

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at 6 years ago

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Although It can seem quite legalistic in some respects, I definitely recommend having a Delegation of Authority that makes clear what the CEO can decide and take action on, and includes what authority they have to spend funds as well. A good example to start from is this one from the Science Council
However, that delegation only works if the board members respect it, and so what is also important is that the charity has a clear strategy agreed by the board, that the CEO has clear performance management (appraisals, 1:1s and agreed targets) which they can use to show they are doing what the board has tasked them with doing.
In my experience, boards and CEOs that are in complicated relationships can often be because overall governance processes and policies are a bit of a mess, so never be afraid as a CEO to bring a paper on governance to the Board. It can lead to positive changes as it has with my current charity, where we now have a governance sub-group driving positive change on the board, including recruiting new trustees, a skills matrix for current trustees, training for current and new trustees and better quality board meetings. Still some way to go when the Chair is the founder from 40 years ago (!) but the pace is quickening.

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Maggie Gardner

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Fundraising Director at Canal and River Trust 6 years ago

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I agree with what others have said about clarity, confidence and kindness. I would add recognising trustees as individuals - talk with them, build relationships.  Some of my former trustees remain friends and/or active parts of my network who I can turn to if I have questions. 
As a trustee, personally I like things documented briefly.  For example a two or three page summary of earlier discussion - particularly around strategy -  which continues to be built until we have a clear way forward. Its easy for agreement to be buried masses of trustee papers, discussions to be forgotten between meetings, and previous consensus lost.  
If someone is very difficult then be really nice - they may be just as frustrated as you - and you could find shared experience. 
Worth remembering too that many boards are purposefully built of diverse people and sometimes it will feel as if you are herding cats. 
 

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Paul Marriott

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Chief Executive at St Cuthbert's Hospice 6 years ago

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At the risk of only repeating what others have said:
Build clarity - make sure everyone is clear about their role and yours
Build confidence - give them good information, deliver what you say you will, let them see they can trust you
Buy cake - or some other way of creating a conversation before or after the Board meeting that is human and humane
Be kind - to them but above all to yourself! I always look forward to the drink I pour when I get home after a Board meeting! Whatever works for you, celebrate a good meeting, analyse a bad one, and move on to the next.
Best wishes,
Paul

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Lisa Gagliani

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Managing Director at Lisa Gagliani Associates Ltd 6 years ago

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This is a really common problem unfortunately, but rest assured that the board have chosen you and they want it to work!
Whilst you'll need to be gentle in bringing about change, you are all hopefully on the same side - so try to keep the interests of beneficiaries at the heart of all discussions, Show that you care and are as knowledgeable, if not more so, about the needs of your beneficiaries - that should win them over. Before you came along, they had to do everything - now they need to be asked to relinquish some control and to take on other longer term important areas of governance. 
I would suggest meeting all of them individually, starting of course with the chair. Get a really good feel for what they all think, feel, want from the charity plus any historical niggles, politics, issues etc., Don't pretend to be a super hero and never over promise, but go for quick wins - let them see you in action - that will give them confidence to leave the running of the operation in your hands. If you only see them at meetings, you'll never build the necessary trust and respect from them. Let them see you speaking passionately to a funder, or caring for a beneficiary of galvanizing the staff - and be firm when they are over stepping the mark - show them what you want them to do and keep repeating that. Reward good behaviour from trustees with both private and public thanks. The more i think about it, it's like puppy training really!! best of luck.

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Ian McLintock

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Founder at Charity Excellence Framework 6 years ago

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We've all been there, so don't feel as if it's you.  It's about structures and relationships.  You need clarity around roles and responsibilities, so delegations for you, trustees understanding their role etc.  However, the key point is relationships, the most important of which is your chair.  Find out how he/she likes to work and what they like/don't like, help him/her to understand the same about you, and agree how you can best work together.  Managing the Board is the chair's job, but it can be hard work and you can help.  You/the chair, control the agenda and reporting, so use this to set the pace and agenda. Training can help, a scan board self assessment.  I have an online board self assessment, happy for you to use it, if it's help; no cost.  Personally, I always made a date with each board member each year for coffee/lunch,  asked him her what they wanted from being a board member and how I might support them in that, which then allowed me to turn it (nicely) the other way round and ask them for help. Hope that's of some use.  I've dropped some resource links from my CEF online toolkit below that might be of some use.  Ian
        https://www.associationofchairs.org.uk/resources/download-qob/, http://www.thinknpc.org/publications/happy-relations/, https://nfpsynergy.net/free-report/trusted-role-challenges-creating-effective-trustee-board?
 

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A CharityConnect User

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at 6 years ago

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Greta question - and a very common challenge for all CEOs. Having been a CEO and working with a good number of CEO's the first thing I always advise is to ensure that Trustees individually and the Board collectively are clear on and understand their role - and then to put that knowledge and understanding into practice. Often, easier said than done.  One of the areas I work most frequently with Boards and CEO's is helping establish understanding and agreeing of boundaries . Very happy to chat off line if helpful.

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Mark Freeman

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CEO at Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service 6 years ago

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Hi, I agree with both the previous responses, this can be the single biggest challenge for a new CEO. Firstly don't take things personally, it is new for both sides. As with any relationship there has to be a process, the Forming Storming Norming model is a classic for a reason and you have to go through a process. Get an external mentor, your local CVS may be able to help, but it is essential to have someone to vent to but more importantly to talk through ideas and solutions. It may be worth looking at getting new trustees, all organisations can benefit from fresh blood and this any help to disrupt embeded behaviour. Finally make sure you start to build clear responsibilities that are agreed between you and the trustees, again your CVS may be able to help and even attend a board meeting to help.

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Jed Ramsay

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CEO at Town & Manor of Hungerford 6 years ago

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Hi - this is probably the most challenging area of being a CEO.  If you have a good relationship with your chair it can make all the difference.  Like Helen says - if you can agree a structure of responsiblity with the board that can help - through a scheme of delegation for example.  
I'd also say from speaking to other CEO's there will always be at least one Trustee that you and probably the other Trustees will struggle with.
We have an Away Day every couple of years where we spend a day together thrashing through all the difficult issues that you can't normally cover in the board meetings - such as looking at general strategy, agreeing mission statements / goals etc.  
Feel free to drop me a line if you want any more advice / swap stories etc.

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Helen Chester

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Director at SkyBlu Solutions 6 years ago

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I know how you feel!  When I took on my first role as CEO of a small charity it was really challenging.  My Board weren't used to working with a CEO and there were many times where they crossed the line into operations, including more than one instance where they overturned my decisions! 
I worked closely with my Chair and we did an exercise separately and then together looking at their role and mine.  We compared our thoughts and came up with a structure that worked for us.  This was then laid out in a delegated authority policy which was approved by the Board.
It enabled me to move the charity forward and helped the board to understand their strategic role. 
I also took on external support, once a month I met with a consultant and spent a day working through my frustrations and issues.  I did this as my Chair would take any concern I had and turn it into a Board discussion,  or allocate a Trustee to work with me.  Having external management support meant I could vent my frustrations, work through problems and take my solutions to the Board for discussion.  I'd  already have worked through my responses so it enabled me to remain focussed under challenge.
Happy to talk through strategies or if you'd like an external critical friend please get in touch.

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