Board Warts

Patrick Lencioni’s latest book, while written for senior teams, has much to say to board teams about the “soft side” of governance—relationships. Christ-centered board members must be competent at this, but it’s a journey, isn’t it?

In his book, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business, Lencioni writes, “The only way for teams to build real trust is for team members to come clean about who they are, warts and all.”

He adds that “bad meetings are the birthplace of unhealthy organizations and good meetings are the origin of cohesion, clarity and communication.

“If someone were to offer me one single piece of evidence to evaluate the health of an organization, I would not ask to see its financial statements, review its product line, or even talk to its employees or customers: I would want to observe the leadership team during a meeting.”

Ditto a board meeting! 

The book highlights five principles that every team [and board] must embrace. Lencioni’s behavioral pyramid (top to bottom) includes:
   Results
   Accountability
   Commitment
   Conflict
   Trust

This may well be my top pick for “2012 Book-of-the-Year.” It’s that important and helpful. (Read my book review.)

Question: What are you doing—in every board meeting—to build God-honoring trust, conflict (the good kind!), commitment, accountability and results?