Creating a Culture Of High Performance (Without a Crisis)

Cathy A. Trower Ph.D., Governance Consultant, Research Director, Co-Principal Investigator Collaborative On Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Harvard University, Graduate School of Education

When trustees are asked to recall a time when the board was at its best, it is often in a time of crisis — the CEO announces his departure, the organization faces a major threat or scandal, or factions have developed on the board or between senior staff and the board. Why is it that crisis creates the conditions for high performance?

The answers boil down to the fact that the board shifts from being a group of loosely coupled individuals who meet periodically with little continuity from one meeting to the next and little communication in between each with very busy lives outside of the organization, to a team focused on a clear, compelling, and consequential goal. Egos and personal agendas dissipate. Building high performance through teamwork makes sense to people, but the idea of a board being a team somehow seems foreign. Still, if you want a board that delivers, operates seamlessly in three governance modes, or moves from good to great, you’ll need to create a high performing team.

This session will address how to create a collaborative, team culture in your boardroom.

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