Governance

Five Good Ideas about strong governance for strong organizations

Richard Powers

Published on January 20, 2016

Increasing demand for services and declining revenues are characteristics shared by many non-profit organizations. Governments, who traditionally have stepped up to assist, are under financial pressure as well, and are downloading their responsibilities to service providers. In a climate such as this, getting the most from your Board is crucial in maintaining and growing your mission. In this Five Good Ideas session, Richard Powers looked at how a strong governance culture can assist this process. His Five Good Ideas addressed what the issues are and how we can deal with them.

Five Good Ideas

Embrace increased transparency
Organizations need to be able to respond to requests for information and be forthcoming in their dealings with media and donors. This is not about sharing confidential board information.
Be aware of the need for increased accountability
Following Good Idea #1 is the notion that organizations have to be more accountable to their stakeholders. This does not refer only to donors and funders but also to those groups charged with ensuring that the organization operates within the regulations and laws applicable within their sector.
Pay close attention to conflicts of interest
Direct conflicts of interest are usually pretty easy to identify. Indirect conflicts are more difficult. Just as important, the perception of conflicts of interest need to addressed with the same rigour.
Determine the skill sets you need
Regardless of the organization, strong governance requires particular skill sets. Representative boards are no exception. Determine what you need and get to it – where there is a will, there is a way.
Go for commitment and engagement
Governance isn’t a hobby, it is hard work and it takes time. So rather than resume building, board members should consider what they are really passionate about and don’t overextend themselves.

Five Good Resources

Imagine Canada: a national charitable organization with the goal to strengthen the sector’s collective voice, create opportunities to connect and learn from each other, and build the sector’s capacity to succeed. imaginecanada.ca
The Chartered Professional Accounts Canada (CPA) website lists a number of articles in its “20 Questions” series.
Institute of Corporate Directors: a “go-to” resource for Canada’s directors and boards.
National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD): association that describes itself as helping more than 17,000 directors lead with confidence.
Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE): national organization with a primary focus on serving the needs of association professionals and the business members who provide vital products and services to support the non-profit sector.

Richard Powers

Associate Professor, National Academic Director, Directors Education Program and Governance Essentials Program, Rotman School of Management

After receiving his MBA and LLB from Queen’s University, Richard worked as a corporate lawyer for a national Canadian law firm. He later served as Corporate Counsel for Honda Canada Inc.

At the University of Toronto, Richard served as the Associate Dean of the Rotman School of Management where he was responsible for all full-time and part-time MBA programs as well as the Master of Finance Program. It was during this time that he began focusing his interests on governance-related matters.

An internationally recognized expert in both corporate and not-for-profit governance, Richard is the National Academic Director of The Directors Education Program (DEP) and the Governance Essentials Program (GEP) (in partnership with the Institute of Corporate Directors – ICD). Richard also serves as the Academic Director of the CUES Governance Programs in Canada. He also teaches in Rotman’s Executive MBA, MBA, and Executive Education Programs. Areas of expertise include business law, business ethics and strategy, subjects he teaches on a regular basis in the DEP.

Richard has worked with numerous boards, associations, and organizations in identifying, creating, and developing best governance practices as well as assessing and achieving strategic and organizational goals. His work has taken him to over 30 countries.

He has been a director and committee member of over 30 organizations including Rugby Canada, Childhood Cancer Canada, St. Clement’s School, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Commonwealth Games Federation and currently serves as Past-President of Commonwealth Sport Canada. Richard served as a Director of Pivotree Inc., a publicly-listed corporation and is currently a Director of Spearhead Brewing Company. He also sits on the Board of the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre and the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario. He frequently comments on legal and governance matters in various media across Canada and the USA.