Confidence at the Board Table

What’s in the Stewardship Mandate? 

A Board is a Steward.  It is supposed to secure the health of your organization.   It is supposed to ensure its mission is accomplishment.   

The Stewardship Mandate is the boards Job Description.  It is what the board is expected to accomplish in its role as agent for the owner.

Typically the board’s stewardship mandate directs the board to:

·         Ensure effective leadership for the organization

·         Ensure the organization’s mission, vision, and values are current, understood, and honored

·         Know the organization’s owners and stakeholders and understand the outcomes the they want to achieve

·         Ensure a strategic planning process is defined and active, and the board’s involvement in the process helps the leadership to achieve those outcomes

·         Ensure Board Bylaws and policies  are current and honored

·         Ensure the organization’s major processes are functioning effectively

·         Monitor management of opportunities and risks

·         Ensure the ‘general welfare’ of the organization is maintained

We emphasize the board’s asking the right questions, questions of  oversight, insight and foresight.

Oversight questions ask if the board is meeting the requirements of its stewardship mandate. “Are we meeting the expectations of our owners and stakeholders?”  “Is our financial situation clearly understood and sound?” “Do we have a robust strategic agenda?”  

We expect the CEO to report progress on these items.