As we continue this extended series on good governance, we have moved from considering the why and how of board ownership of its performance to considering the importance of the board’s focus on ends rather than means. In introducing this segment, I described effective board engagement with ends as follows: They screen their agendas, prioritize their engagement, allocate their time, frame their issues, craft their policies, and limit their solutions in terms of ends rather than means.
What constitutes board business anyway?
Not everything is board business. Not everything deserves a board’s time or can profit from its involvement. Not even everything that might appear on a board meeting agenda. True, not a few boards have a tendency to wander off the reservation and meddle. Boards need to be reigned in from time to time. A good board chair knows when and how to do that.
— Ralph Enlow | 4thoughtleaders Blog