Within a well-functioning democracy, the process by which we choose our leaders is at least as important as whom we choose. The quality of the conversation we have about elections, board culture and leadership qualifications matters as much as the election itself. This Field Guide describes an effective process for board officer elections and provides some specific tools and ideas for creating and implementing [...]
Imagine a board that moves positively forward with a shared understanding of board purpose; following their own words about how they will operate and doing so in a way that respects individual diversity and voice, on the way to making decisions as a unified and intentional whole. Boards that do this over the long haul have built a Positive Board Performance Culture (PBPC) and [...]
Guest Panelists: Melanie Reid, GM, Just Food Co-op Terry Bowling, GM, La Montañita Co-op
Should staff be eligible to serve on the board of a consumer co-op? Many of today’s food co-ops started as small buying clubs. No one was paid, everyone pitched in. As the co-ops grew, incorporated, opened store fronts and hired staff, little attention was paid to role clarity and accountability. Paid staff and member workers often served as the board of directors. Now that [...]
Panelists Alex Gyori - GM, Brattleboro Donna Stroup - Board President, Bloomingfoods Steve Peterson - Board President, Oneota
An Executive Session (sometimes called a “closed session”) is a meeting, or portion of a meeting, open to only members of the board of directors and individuals invited by the board of directors. All meeting attendees are expected to keep content of the meeting confidential unless the board decides to make it public. "Confidential" means that those present are expected not to share or discuss the information [...]
This flowchart describes the steps and questions to use during the process of accepting or rejecting a monitoring report. Use during a meeting or beforehand to prepare yourself.
