Charity trustees and executive team: 7 ways to ensure an effective relationship
To mark Trustees’ Week, Campbell Tickell consultant Sarah Loader and the governance team, explore how ensure a good working relationship between the Board and Executive team.
Many charities are small and do not employ staff. But for those that do, the strength of the relationship between the Board and senior staff is incredibly important. We set out seven ways to make this relationship work well and ultimately support a better outcome for those your charity is set up to help.
7 ways for an effective relationship
1. Share a commitment to the values and culture of the charity.
Encouraging a culture that is open and built on mutual respect helps ensure a safe space for staff to provide honest information, advice and feedback to the Board. Staff should feel confident and enabled to say things as they are, including when things are not going right. There should be a culture where constructive challenge from Trustees is welcomed by staff to get to the best outcome for the charity. This shouldn’t make staff feel like they are being unfairly criticised.
2. Recognise that you are ‘one team’ working for the benefit of those you are set up to help.
Always remember that you are all working together towards your strategic aims.
3. Have clear communication channels inside and outside of meetings.
Make it clear what are appropriate formal and informal communication channels. It is important that there is good dialogue, but in an appropriate way.
4. Offer regular feedback.
It is important that the Board hears regularly how senior staff feel about their experience of the boardroom.
5. Define roles and responsibilities and the ‘rules of engagement’.
Trustees shouldn’t delve into the detail or step on the toes of staff and staff should bring the right information to the Board to ensure that they can make good decisions. Ensuring the difference between the roles of Trustees and senior staff is clear, helps ensure either group does not stray into the other’s territory. Paying conscious collective attention every now and then to the ‘rules of engagement’, or to how the Board and senior staff want to and will work together is very helpful.
6. Commit to learning and development.
There is always more to learn and new and interesting approaches to consider. Sometimes joint development sessions can be helpful. Some organisations find that periodically exploring the different personality types across the Board and senior team can be helpful to ensure understanding of the different ways individuals operate and learn.
7. Ensure the Chair, Chief Executive and Senior Independent Director (if there is one) have a clear role in managing and mediating the relationship.
All three have responsibility to keep a watching brief on the quality and tone of the relationship and to take prompt action if it isn’t quite as it should be.
To discuss any issues raised in this article, contact: sarah.loader@campblelltickell.com.
Find out Campbell Tickell can assist your charity with our wide range of governance consultancy services, including Board appraisals and skills audit; board effectiveness reviews, away days, development and training, and more.
