Speaking “Owner-ese”: Speaking “Owner-ese”: Practical Approaches to Linking with OwnersPractical Approaches to Linking with Owners

Policy GovernanceChinese

English

FrenchOWNER-ESE

Tagalog Afrikaans

SpanishGerman

Urdu Hungarian

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Clearly Identify OwnersClearly Identify Owners The people on whose behalf the The people on whose behalf the

board governs and determines what board governs and determines what benefits the organization should benefits the organization should produce, who those benefits are for, produce, who those benefits are for, and how much they are worthand how much they are worth

Equivalent of “shareholders” in a for-Equivalent of “shareholders” in a for-profit organizationprofit organization

NOT the same as “stakeholders”NOT the same as “stakeholders”

Know the Purpose of Know the Purpose of Ownership LinkageOwnership Linkage

Intentional and constructive dialogue Intentional and constructive dialogue and deliberation between owners and deliberation between owners and board members primarily and board members primarily around the organization’s Endsaround the organization’s Ends

Not the same as “Public Relations”Not the same as “Public Relations”

Critical part of the information used Critical part of the information used to make Ends decisionsto make Ends decisions

Select a Select a Representative Sample Representative Sample of Ownersof Owners

““Segment” owners into bite-size Segment” owners into bite-size pieces that will help you identify the pieces that will help you identify the diversity of opinion among ownersdiversity of opinion among owners

E.g., geography, age, education, socio-E.g., geography, age, education, socio-

economic status economic status

Determine The Language Determine The Language of Engagementof Engagement

Do the owners know they are Do the owners know they are owners?owners?

What “language” do they speak?What “language” do they speak?

Is it necessary to provide some Is it necessary to provide some basic education before asking for basic education before asking for input?input?

What’s The Owners’ What’s The Owners’ Language?Language?

Policy GovernanceChinese Hungarian

English

FrenchOWNER-ESE

Tagalog Afrikaans

SpanishGerman

UrduQuechua

““Translation” ApproachesTranslation” Approaches Do owners understand the language of Do owners understand the language of

Policy Governance? [Usually not!]Policy Governance? [Usually not!]

Is it necessary to teach them that language?Is it necessary to teach them that language?

They need to understand why you are They need to understand why you are asking the questionsasking the questions

If Policy Governance is new to your If Policy Governance is new to your organization, you may need to explain why organization, you may need to explain why you are using ityou are using it

Key Areas to TranslateKey Areas to Translate Basic idea of Policy Governance – that board acts on Basic idea of Policy Governance – that board acts on

behalf of owners, sets direction, holds management behalf of owners, sets direction, holds management accountable, doesn’t handle day to day operationsaccountable, doesn’t handle day to day operations

Concept of ownership linkage and why board is Concept of ownership linkage and why board is doing it (difference from customer issues)doing it (difference from customer issues)

Board wants owners’ input to help create the futureBoard wants owners’ input to help create the future

Board is not asking about individual “customer” Board is not asking about individual “customer” issuesissues

Ask Questions That Ask Questions That Generate Owner Generate Owner

ResponsesResponses Get them into “owner” mindsetGet them into “owner” mindset

““as a member of your community . . .”as a member of your community . . .” ““in your industry . . .”in your industry . . .” ““thinking about other people your age . . .”thinking about other people your age . . .” Not, “what do YOU think/wantNot, “what do YOU think/want

““Individual” mindset will likely yield Individual” mindset will likely yield “customer” information instead of “customer” information instead of “owner” information “owner” information

Ask Questions About the Ask Questions About the Right ThingsRight Things

Do not ask for input about Do not ask for input about operational issues already operational issues already delegated to the CEOdelegated to the CEO

Input primarily about Ends issuesInput primarily about Ends issues

Ask “what” and “why” questions, Ask “what” and “why” questions, rather than “how” questionsrather than “how” questions

Examples of “What” Examples of “What” QuestionsQuestions

What are the priority needs in your What are the priority needs in your community/industry that are not being community/industry that are not being met?met?

If there could be only one need, that if If there could be only one need, that if met, could immediately assist your met, could immediately assist your industry/community, what would that be?industry/community, what would that be?

What difference should this organization What difference should this organization make within your make within your community/profession/industry?community/profession/industry?

Some Specific “What” Some Specific “What” ExamplesExamples What will be the things graduates need to know to be What will be the things graduates need to know to be

prepared for the “real world” of employment? prepared for the “real world” of employment? [education][education]

What are the major financial challenges members will What are the major financial challenges members will face in the next 5 years [credit union]face in the next 5 years [credit union]

Think about your needs and the needs of other senior Think about your needs and the needs of other senior citizens that you know, those who are well and unwell. citizens that you know, those who are well and unwell. What concerns do seniors have about their ability to stay What concerns do seniors have about their ability to stay independent and in their homes? [health/social services]independent and in their homes? [health/social services]

Examples of “Why” Examples of “Why” QuestionsQuestions

Do people [your age/in your community] Do people [your age/in your community] think the role of this organization should think the role of this organization should change? Why or why not?change? Why or why not?

Look at the following list of outcomes that xx organization might offer: [list high level Ends] Which one seems most important? Why? Which one seems least important? Why? Which seems unlikely that a [type of organization]

would offer? What is missing?

Help Them Think “Future”Help Them Think “Future” Looking ahead 3 years from now, what results

would have happened for the people we serve for you to say, “I’m really happy with the progress that the organization has made?”

Pretend it is 3 years from now and you are looking back. What results would have happened for the people we serve for you to say, “I’m satisfied with the contribution that the organization has made?”

Choose the Most Appropriate Choose the Most Appropriate MethodsMethods

• InterviewsInterviews• Focus groupsFocus groups• Invited presentations at Board Invited presentations at Board

meetingsmeetings• Meetings with natural groupingsMeetings with natural groupings• Key informant interviewsKey informant interviews• Scripted round tables at meetingsScripted round tables at meetings• Avoid public forumsAvoid public forums

Choose the Most Appropriate Choose the Most Appropriate MethodsMethods

• SurveysSurveys– Phone surveysPhone surveys– Web surveysWeb surveys– Direct-email surveysDirect-email surveys– InterceptIntercept

• Question on social mediaQuestion on social media• Dialogue groupsDialogue groups• CafCafééss• Deliberative PollingDeliberative Polling• Advisory CommitteesAdvisory Committees• Other MethodsOther Methods

Set a TimelineSet a Timeline

Identify when linkage information will Identify when linkage information will be needed for Ends workbe needed for Ends work

Work backwards from this date to Work backwards from this date to schedule linkage activitiesschedule linkage activities

Schedule debriefing time at board Schedule debriefing time at board meeting immediately following each meeting immediately following each linkage activitylinkage activity

Implement the PlanImplement the Plan

Decide who will be accountable Decide who will be accountable to make the plan a realityto make the plan a reality

A Linkage Committee may be A Linkage Committee may be usedused

If using a committee, make sure If using a committee, make sure the board still “owns” the plan the board still “owns” the plan and as much as possible involve and as much as possible involve all board membersall board members

Track the InformationTrack the Information

Debrief with entire board as soon as Debrief with entire board as soon as possible after each linkage activitypossible after each linkage activity

Identify key information that has Identify key information that has potential implications for Ends and potential implications for Ends and keep in one locationkeep in one location Major insights?Major insights? Cautions about generalizing?Cautions about generalizing? New questions raised?New questions raised?

Track the InformationTrack the Information

““Match” linkage information to Match” linkage information to existing Ends or note the potential existing Ends or note the potential need for a new Ends policyneed for a new Ends policy

Identify any needs for further Identify any needs for further research or education as a result of research or education as a result of what you have learned what you have learned

Apply Owner Input to Apply Owner Input to EndsEnds

Collect owner input during the Collect owner input during the board’s annual cycle, then schedule board’s annual cycle, then schedule a longer meeting or retreat a longer meeting or retreat

Go back to the key information Go back to the key information extracted after each linkage activity extracted after each linkage activity and look at all information as part and look at all information as part of the whole pictureof the whole picture

Add other information to add to the Add other information to add to the board’s overall understandingboard’s overall understanding

Information for Ends Information for Ends DecisionsDecisions

Environmental Scan

Ends(Developed by Board

based on above information)

Strategic Plan(Created by CEO to achieve Ends)

Other Input

Stakeholders

Owner (“Shareholder”) Input

Direct “subjective” input from Owners

Surveys of owner

Focus groups

Direct “objective” info about owner needs

Statistical data

Surveys by other orgs

Indirect info

Perspectives of other orgs

Monitoring Information

How much has been achieved so far?

“Enriched” Information

Futurists

In-depth education re: specific issues

Environmental Environmental ScanningScanningEnvironmental Environmental ScanningScanning

SSocial, cultural and ocial, cultural and demographic trends demographic trends and projectionsand projections

TTechnological echnological prospects and prospects and occurrencesoccurrences

EEconomic situationconomic situation EEnvironmental nvironmental

considerationsconsiderations PPolitical, regulatoryolitical, regulatory

and legal climateand legal climate

Talk With Other BoardsTalk With Other Boards Meet with other Meet with other

boards who have boards who have the same the same “ownership” as “ownership” as your boardyour board

Ask for their Ask for their perspective on the perspective on the needs of the needs of the ownershipownership

Develop synergiesDevelop synergies

Enrich Your Knowledge Enrich Your Knowledge BaseBaseBoard needs to Board needs to have deeper have deeper understanding of understanding of trends and future trends and future than most ownersthan most owners

Seek out diverse Seek out diverse sources of sources of informationinformationFocus on leading indicators, Focus on leading indicators, developing trends, technologicaldeveloping trends, technological

forecastsforecasts

Focus on the futureFocus on the future

Communicate Back to the Communicate Back to the OwnersOwners

Let the owners Let the owners know what know what happened to their happened to their ideas ideas

Did you use them? Did you use them? If not, why not?If not, why not?

Shows respect for Shows respect for ownersowners

Demonstrates Demonstrates accountability back accountability back to ownersto owners

Regularly Evaluate and Regularly Evaluate and Update the PlanUpdate the Plan

Learn from your experienceLearn from your experience

After each linkage activity, debrief and After each linkage activity, debrief and refine the process as neededrefine the process as needed

Annually, re-evaluate “year 2” of the Annually, re-evaluate “year 2” of the plan and flesh it out, then add a new plan and flesh it out, then add a new year to the end of the plan, to year to the end of the plan, to maintain a rolling 3-year planmaintain a rolling 3-year plan

3. Select representative owner input

4. Ask the right questions

5. Choose the most appropriate methods

9. Communicate back to theowners

BOARD

OWNERS

Know who your owners are

2. Know the purpose of ownership linkage

Perpetual Owner Linkage Plan™

10. Regularly evaluate and update the plan

7. Keep track of information gathered

8. Apply the input to Ends decision-making

6. Implement the plan

Further ResourcesFurther Resources

REALBoard Tool KitREALBoard Tool Kit™ Volume 3: ™ Volume 3: Connect! A Guide to Ownership Connect! A Guide to Ownership LinkageLinkage

REALBoard Tool Kit ™ Volume 4: REALBoard Tool Kit ™ Volume 4: Future-Focused AgendasFuture-Focused Agendas

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