Governance: The Key Points

The following article gives the key points in understanding governance and your board. Sections include:

• Governance: Main Tasks
• Goals of Good Governance
• Methods of Governing
• Problems in Governing

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Governance: Main Tasks

Governance is the structures and processes by which an organisation sets goals, monitors performance, maintains viability and ensures compliance with legal requirements and ethical standards.

The governing body (board, committee, collective, etc) of an organisation, elected by the membership, has the main tasks of:

• Ensuring an organisation meets its contractual, ethical and legal obligations
• Ensuring organisational resources are sufficient and well managed
• Ensuring that the organisation's objectives/mission are developed and sustained
• Planning and monitoring the achievements of the organisation in relation to the objectives/mission
• Ensuring the ongoing viability of the organisation

Goals of Good Governance

Good governance allows an organisation to:

• Have a "big picture" vision and appropriate strategies to realise that vision
• Be accountable to its membership
• Achieve its stated objectives
• Support its employees to pursue the full range of their job descriptions

Methods of Governing

The governing board/committee achieves its goals and task this by:

• Understanding the organisation's philosophy and objectives
• Being organised, efficient and responsive
• Understanding its responsibilities
• Understanding the objectives, programs and work of the organisation
• Demonstrating inclusive and fair processes
• Setting goals and priorities and monitoring progress on these
• Ensuring the committee is diverse, relevant, skilled and representative of the organisation's membership

Problems in Governing

A governing body should not be:

• A group that interferes with the day to day functional aspects of an organisation
• An irrelevant but necessary body to tick off the required boxes
• A group of individuals who get involved in the day to day operations of an organisation
• Manager of the administrative functions of an organisation (some of these tasks might be done by committee members working as volunteers - this is not 'governing')

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