A not for profit board of directors committed murder at a recent board meeting.
A non for profit board of directors had asked its senior leader for over one year to define their vision for the organization. A tenure of several years did not produce a vision statement. During this time there were countless meetings filled which vague, disconnected thoughts; elements of a vision shared but always fragmented. The request by lay leadership and professional colleagues for a vision statement went abated. At long last, a board meeting agenda appeared; on it, a discussion of the leader’s vision statement.
The vision statement consisted of five pages of rambling toughest, activities, justifications, and veiled statements. Five pages of words handed out to leadership without preparation and for the purpose of discussion. At the end, there was no action step, request for approval, date set for conversation.
Five pages of words. The board had committed murder.
The deceased — the organization itself.
The board is elected from its membership on an annual basis. Board members elect their officers. Each officer has a fiduciary responsibility to the health and prosperity of the organization. The brief discussion and dissemination of vision was the final act in a slow, methodical killing of the patient. CSI is not needed to uncover the cause of death.
An organizational autopsy reveals:
- Three years passed without a clear, concise statement of vision from its senior professional leader. There was no action taken during the time period to force action.
- The vision statement reflected the disease which had progressed — rambling thoughts coupled with short-term actions.
- At the close of the meeting, the vision was left dormant with no follow-up identified other than the document was presented for conversation.
The cause of death was the vision presented to the board and professional staff could not be used to lead Over the next several months, budgets will be presented, programs will occur, policies will be reviewed. Absent a vision, each step taken by lay and professional leadership will be made in a vacuum. Possible short-term gains will be lost over time.
The fundamentals of a vision statement are clear. A vision must be:
- Audacious
- Bold
- Long-term
- Clearly understood
- Economic use of verbiage
Adopted by the organization, it requires leadership that will passionately, emphatically, whole-heartedly endorse, promote, and live the vision for every member of its community. The vision is the final act of a budgeting or policy process — Will this action move us closer to successful achievement of our vision?
The casual reader will walk away from this post not certain if anything was actually said. Definitely, there was nothing new or enlightening. If you consider the actions taken by the professional and board, the scope of this ten minute board action item becomes significant.
The professional lacked the ability to articulate their vision of the future over several years. Nothing less than a muse set to paper could be expected. The inaction of drafting an appropriate vision is rewarding for the leader. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’ governor was a master of creating veiled comments. Case in point:
Ooh I love to dance a little sidestep, now they see me now they don’t- I’ve come and gone and, ooh I love to sweep around the wide step, cut a little swathe and lead the people on.
(1982; Original music by Carol hall and Patrick Williams)
Without an appropriate vision, there is no perceived accountability. Concurrently, the board also is responsible for the eventual death. They allowed these actions to occur.
Death will not be immediate. By its very nature, chronic disease is chronic, persistent, deep-rooted. The inability to lead toward vision results in unabating weak decisions, conflict, and strife.
Five pages of words is a placebo.
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