Key Points
- Good governance practices include written documentation of not just the Constitution and model rules etc but also capture information in policies and procedures that guide the committee’s decision-making.
- Existing members have a role to play in contributing to the organisation’s documentation to help build the ongoing capability and knowledge capture
Good documentation, a structured induction and sharing resources to help newcomers settle in helps everyone. The organisation benefits by the incoming member coming up to speed quickly, and the individual benefits from information that is helpful to them and makes them feel welcome, valued and builds confidence. So what’s your role as your considering exiting the organisation?
No doubt you would have seen the organisation build its capability and knowledge over time — and this has been built on the shoulders, experience and legacy of those that have been in roles before you. This has been built bit by bit, policy by policy, decision by decision and your contribution to documenting an undocumented procedure or policy, updating existing ones, or mentoring a newcomer on the application of those policies is a way of contributing to that bank of transferable knowledge. If it’s not documented or shared in some form, that knowledge gets lost or is open to misinterpretation.
And as they say, it’s who you know that’s important, so taking the time to introduce new Committee or Board members to the key people they need to know and fostering a strong start to those relationships is an important part of Board transitions.
TOP TIPS
Top Tip
Consider compiling a Board manual or contributing to one as part of your exit support activities
Proactively identify training opportunities, cross-training, or a buddy-type system to share skills and knowledge of specific tasks important for your organisation’s continuity.
Want more? ... check out these resources
Online article – Institute of Community Directors – 5 minute read
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These people at the Institute of Community Directors have thought of everything. Here’s a tip sheet on Compiling a Board Manual.