Communication and regular contact between directors and the organisation is vital for successful and effective boards.
The following is an example policy for directors playing an advisory role.
Board-Staff Communication
The success of the board will rely on directors (individually and collectively) having an intimate knowledge and strong understanding of the business, its services to members, its business model, its strategy and business objectives. Accordingly, regular contact between directors and the organisation is important and encouraged.
The board is a governance board that sets and monitors overall strategy, financial and risk management, staffing and other key policies. As a rule they do not get involved in day-to-day operations, which are the responsibility of the CEO. The board makes collective decisions and once made each director is bound by that decision. Having made a decision the CEO will be instructed and authorised to carry it out and will then instruct staff appropriately. Only in rare circumstances (e.g. change of the CEO) will an individual director issue a direction directly to staff. In nearly all cases this will only be via or by the chair.
As a result of expertise, skills or networks, some directors may be asked by the board or management to assist staff in their role. Any advice they give is for consideration only and is not a directive of the board, nor do individual directors have the authority to revoke a delegation or authorisation to management.
The board is committed to communicating with staff on all key decisions and directions of the organisation communication of major initiatives will be via the CEO or the chair.
Directors are empowered to communicate with the staff primarily so that they may properly fulfil their duties and responsibilities. In doing so, however, they should as a courtesy either make arrangements via the CEO or relevant manager. They should also bear in mind the different roles and authority of different staff members and act accordingly.