Telling the Board Story Through the Co-op Marketing Department
By Rebecca Torpie 190 May-June 2017 Co-op boards and marketing teams can be like two ships passing in the night. Chances are they’ve crossed paths during election season and annual meeting planning, but contact beyond that [...]
The Power of Board Perpetuation Planning
Board perpetuation is a key task for directors, and actively pursuing it throughout the year (and every year) creates a powerful influence in the quality of board work. The first step is having a strong [...]
Changing the Board Nominations Process
Ozark Natural Foods Fayetteville, Arkansas Year founded: 1971 Member investment: $140 Number of members: 9,300 Number of staff: 97 Retail square feet: 9,000 Ozark Natural Foods had a legacy of internal conflict and high board [...]
Making Smarter Strategic Decisions through Board Engagement with Owners
When boards and management make decisions with the long game of co-op impact in mind, a powerful relationship with owners can develop. Strategic decision-making can be an opportunity to build a strong, participatory co-op culture [...]
Relax! You Are Linked
Cooperative boards of directors are small groups of people who influence the future of the world. They are committed citizens who think and learn and work together for something that together they find relevant and [...]
Officer Elections and Board Leadership
It is a well-known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it… anyone who is capable of getting themselves made a [leader]… should on [...]
Responding to Employee Concerns
Co-op employees will at least occasionally bring complaints and concerns to the board or individual directors, yet the board itself is ill-suited for the task of handling these concerns. Employees deserve to have their concerns addressed [...]
Expanding Fresh Food Convenience
Eastside Food Co-op Minneapolis, MN Year founded: 2003 Member equity: $100 Number of members: 6,500 Number of employees: 100 Retail square feet: 9,500 Eastside Food Co-op in Minneapolis, Minn. had one of the highest sales [...]
Understanding the Meaning of “Speaking With One Voice”
By Michael Healy 189 March-April 2017 Boards of directors regularly struggle with the concept of “speaking with one voice”— primarily because the concept has a dual meaning. Within the context of Policy Governance, which many [...]
How to be an Effective Board President
What’s the difference between an excellent board president and a so-so one? Being an effective president requires a host of proficiencies, attributes and knowledge—it’s no easy job! A mix of people skills, the talent to [...]