No board is 100% effective. But the imperfection varies. On a scale of 1 (ineffective) to 10 (effective), what is the degree of your board imperfection? Just like no person is perfect. No board is perfect. When I joined the council of ICGU, the then Chief Executive Officer, Samuel F. Owori, invited the newly appointed members for an orientation meeting. “You need to understand what everything about ICGU so that you are able to perform your oversight role effectively”, he said. For a whole day, he told us about the background of ICGU, gave us copies of key documents about…
The tragedy of parenting
What is the predictor of success in life? Is it nurture or nature? I learned a lot from my late grandpa, who I lived with a big part of my early life. He told me many profound insights. He used to say, “education does not help the lazy.” Now I know that this meant more work is after getting that degree! He was right. To get ahead, one must put in the extra effort. Have an ambition. Wake up early. Work hard by always going the extra mile. A genius may need just one hour to cover what an average…
Can the CEO fire board members?
Short answer In many US companies, the CEO is also the Board Chairman. The person who signs on the appointment of board members is the Board chairman. When the roles of CEO and Chairman are combined, it is correct to say the CEO appoints the Board. He who appoints can terminate the board members. However, when the CEO and Chairman roles are not combined, like in most companies in Europe, the CEO may merely influence the termination of the board members but cannot terminate them easily. He has to ‘play politics’ to get the bad apples out. Regardless of the…
Tool 73 of 104 is to be determined and reliable
“Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptizing with water”, John 1:29-34 If you want to appreciate what a determined leadership can achieve, visit Singapore, Dubai or Shenzen cities. All these are new cities that have been developed within the past 30…
Can a founder of a not for profit be on the board
Yes, a founder can be on the board. Should be on the board. The board is composed of members who represent the interests of the owner. If the owner or founder has the time, skills and networks it requires to win, s/he is the best person to be on the board for unprecedented success since they have lots of passion and goodwill than any other person! Unlike public entities where there is need for separation of powers or independence of executive, board and founder, for not for profits (NFPs), the founder involvement is the best. Brac, the leading global NFP…
The encounter —a short story
I am walking around the city, sort of undecided which street to take, and this Ghanaian man appears suddenly? “Want to buy something brother? Need clothes, shoes, phones or bags? We go to my shop. You will be happy. Come let me take you… follow me.” This guy is a pro. He has mastered the art of approaching strangers. Telling them words of wisdom as he walks calmly with them to his shop. He does it so masterfully that you cannot refuse to first check out his shop. And once you enter, it is difficult to just exit without buying…
