Working with Boards RANCH Network Meeting Tuesday 11 June 2019 Presented by: Nicole Battle, CEO NHVic Neighbourhood Houses Victoria acknowledges the Aboriginal custodians of this land and we pay our respects to their culture, their people and elders past, present and future. Really tricky relationship to manage. Inspired to develop this training after working with lots of organisations over the past ten years and seeing how even the strongest organisation can be brought down extremely quickly through relationships that can sometimes become dysfunctional over time. Particularly in the community sector because we are all very passionate about what we do. And we can often find ourselves wearing different hats, which can be tricky to navigate in some instances. This is why it is so important that everyone who is involved in an organisation that is governed by a board understands governance and in particular what constitutes good governance. And I am sure that all of you have participated in lots of this kind of training over the years. So today I am not going to be talking about governance as such. Instead I am going to be focusing on the people stuff – the stuff on what good relationships are built. nhvic.org.au #nhvic

Introduction The relationships between all stakeholders are essential to the overall health and wellbeing or an organisation. However the relationship between the CEO and the Board is undoubtedly the most crucial, with the state of this relationship having the greatest potential to influence the overall success of an organisation, for better or worse. For this relationship to be effective, it must be one of negotiation, consideration and understanding of the role and perspective of the other. There must also be a recognition that the CEO and the Board play separate and distinguishable roles, but must work together in order to achieve organisational goals. So just to confirm…what is the role of the Board? What is the role of the CEO? So…I want you to think about a highly effective organisation that you have been involved with. What does the relationship between the Board and the CEO look like. What are the sorts of behaviours that you are seeing? Now think about a organisation that isn’t quite so well functioning. What are some of the behaviours that you might start to see – particularly between the Board and the CEO? What are the common themes? nhvic.org.au #nhvic

Introduction (cont.) RESPECT COMMUNICATION TRUST nhvic.org.au #nhvic

Communication Most conflict is caused by a breakdown in communication and the parties’ inability to understand each other. A conflict is often a dialogue of the deaf. There is no conflict transformation, no resolution, unless there is a change in the dynamic of communication. Unless there is such a shift, parties are not able to bond, to reframe their problems, and to explore possible solutions.  nhvic.org.au #nhvic

Communication (cont.) Listening The most important communication skill for leaders is the ability to listen. Professional listening skills include listening for the message, listening for any emotions behind the message and considering relevant questions about the message. Listening for the message means hearing the facts accurately or being distracted by other thoughts. It’s also important to listen for any unusually strong stresses in the sentences or other signs of emotion. “You seem to feel strongly about this. Please tell me more.” Active listening nhvic.org.au #nhvic

Communication (cont.) Self Awareness But good communication with others requires first and foremost good communication within ourselves. In other words, to become good listeners we need first to be aware of the filters that colour our own communication style. Our previous experiences, believes, values, assumptions, judgments and bias influence the quality of our listening. Whenever we listen to something, we evaluate what we are hearing and this in turn triggers our emotional reactions and our judgment. If we hear something that contradicts our values or our interests, we can often react, by becoming defensive.  In addition to our values, we also need to be aware of our non-verbal cues. What is the person who we are communicating with actually seeing? nhvic.org.au #nhvic

Communication (cont.) Closing the loop – Set and confirm expectations Check in to ensure understanding. Clarifying expectations helps to create a shared vision and agreement about what is to be done up front. This is one of those behaviours that people rarely pay enough attention to, but it can help to avoid conflict later on. Make sure that all parties understand what is being agreed to, who is going to do it and by when. Fernwood example nhvic.org.au #nhvic

Communication (cont.) Crucial Conversations – Tips Think about what it is that you want to get out of the conversation. Keep it manageable. Avoid rabbit holes. Don’t be too quick to react. Is this a pattern of behaviour or a one-off. Is a crucial conversation actually needed? Think about the setting, time-of-day etc. Try not to make it personal. Focus on the behaviours. Acknowledge your role in creating the situation. Thank the person for their participation in the conversation. Clarify any follow-up actions that might be required. nhvic.org.au #nhvic

Communication (cont.) Tips for avoiding crucial conversations Establish mechanisms for regular communication; Provide regular feedback. Ensure that the other person feels valued; Be proactive - don’t let small issues fester; Don’t assume – ask clarifying questions; and Understand we’re all just people! nhvic.org.au #nhvic

Case Study Community Neighbourhood House is located in a small rural town in North East Victoria. Belinda is the manager of Community Neighbourhood House and was recently appointed after the previous manager retired after working in the role for 22 years. At first, Belinda felt that she had a fairly good relationship with the President (Katrina) but over the last few weeks she can’t seem to shake the feeling that Katrina is unhappy with her performance. Katrina has been attending the centre most days and has started asking questions about how Belinda is spending her time. Belinda also believes that Katrina returned furniture to its previous position in the foyer after she spent the day rearranging it. Belinda knows that Katrina is good friends with the previous manager and most of the volunteers that work in the centre. Belinda is worried that Katrina is asking the volunteers for information/feedback about how she is performing in the role. What should Belinda do? nhvic.org.au #nhvic

Thank you nhvic.org.au #nhvic Neighbourhood Houses Victoria acknowledges the Aboriginal custodians of this land and we pay our respects to their culture, their people and elders past, present and future. nhvic.org.au #nhvic