[Community-Discuss] Operational Matters

[Mark Tinka]

On 7/Nov/19 01:08, Ali Hussein wrote:


>

> From a corporate governance perspective this must and should be

> addressed by the board chair. You cannot represent the board on such

> matters. Kindly clarify this point. Let me also add that as a

> community based organization the board cannot be hands off. As long as

> they don’t interfere with the day to day running of the organization.

> Their fiduciary responsibility requires that from time to time they

> address issues pertaining to their role. The board chair usually

> represents them on this.


Ali, I think you are asking 2 different questions here:

    - Will the Board continue to be the Board?
    - Will our CEO give the Board airtime to communicate on Board matters?

I won't speak on behalf of the CEO, I'll just speak to common sense and
my own experiences.

The Board will continue to perform their duties of supporting the CEO
re: strategy and governance. No one is suggesting the Board be disbanded.

However, I do believe that whatever message the Board wants the
membership to hear should vessel through the CEO. It confuses the
membership when some matters should be relayed by the Board, and others
by the CEO.

I have not read the bylaws on this, so I am not sure whether there is
any specific provision that dictates what the Board SHOULD communicate,
CAN communicate and MUST communicate. If the bylaws do not make such a
provision or leave a lot of wiggle room, I'd default to the CEO being
the person who communicates with the membership. It does not take the
Board's function away. In fact, it enhances accountability, stability
and uniformity. Lord knows the membership are craving these principles.

At work, the people in my team have probably never heard from the Board
of my organization. I don't expect them ever to, and yet that Board
determines their overall well-being as employees.

Mark.