1. AM3: Effective chairs –
Association of Chairs:
new guide for chairs
#TRUSTEECONF2014

2. A Chair’s Compass
Ruth Lesirge
Rosalind Oakley

3. About the Association of Chairs
• Launched October 2013
• 4 aims:
– Support, challenge and stimulate Chairs
– Develop knowledge and resources
– Offer professional development and standards
– Create a voice for Chairs

4. Our ethos
We aim to be:
• Rigorous
• Intellectually challenging
• Creative and innovative
• Committed to peer learning
• Inclusive and collaborative

5. Events
• Supper clubs
• Sectoral events
• Chairs’ briefings
• Panel debates
• Regional events
Charities and elections
Association of Chairs
9 September 2014
Caroline Cooke, Head of Policy Engagement and Research

6. Resources for Chairs
• Effective Charity Chairs a
literature review
• A Chair’s Compass – a new guide
for Chairs
• Chairs’ briefings
• Factsheets and reading lists

7. A Chair’s Compass
• A navigational aid – to help
you with your unique position
• Consists of:
 A Compass with key navigational points
 A way to map your terrain
 Tips for the journey

8. A Chair’s Compass
Clarity of purpose
Cohesive board
Constructive relationships
Considered
decision-making

9. Leadership
• Being willing and able to lead the
organisation in partnership with the Chief
Executive
• Understanding the distinctive leadership
role of the Chair – negotiating boundaries,
building trust
• Enabling the board to face and make the
key decisions

10. Clarity of purpose
• Ensuring the organisation has
clear direction and is achieving its aims.
• Ensuring the board has identified and made
the big decisions about priorities and values
• Having an ongoing conversation about
strategy and priorities
• Understanding the risks that could prevent
you achieving your purpose

11. Cohesive board
• Harnessing the skills, experience and
energy of the board team to its common
purpose.
• Creating a board with shared goals and values
• Ensuring it has the skills and experience
needed to cover the work
• A board that ultimately is willing to unite
behind the decisions it reaches

12. Constructive relationships
• Ensuring a myriad of different
relationships are working so that the
organisation delivers
• Getting the best from the Chief Executive
• Understanding who your key stakeholders are
• Ensuring the organisation is accountable to
those it serves and its major stakeholders

13. Considered decision-making
• Stewarding the decision making process to
ensure sound decisions are made.
• Ensuring the board understands the work of the
charity and the difference it makes
• Understanding the full range of options open to
the charity and the associated risks and
opportunities
• Shared understanding of the organisation’s
position and what would threaten its viability

14. Mapping the terrain
• The external context
• The organisation
• Chair–CEO relationship
• The board team

15. Reasonable expectations for the
journey
• A shared understanding of your role
• Information about the organisation and its
context
• Feedback, support and encouragement from the
senior team and your board members
• Regular review of your performance
• Opportunities and budget for self-development
• Realistic expectations – we all have weaknesses!

16. What is your experience?
• Shared understanding of your role?
• The right Information about the organisation and
its context?
• Appropriate support and encouragement from
SMT and trustees?
• Regular review of Chair’s performance?
• Budget for self-development?
• Realistic expectations?

17. What you can do for yourself
• Induction – be proactive
• Plan what you want to contribute and discuss
with colleagues
• Seek support e.g. coach or mentor
• Consider how a Vice or Deputy Chair can help
• Identify your top learning needs
• Ask for feedback and a review

18. Themes
• Deputy or Vice Chair
• Chair review
• Peer mentoring

19. Questions
What is your experience of this?
• How many of you are using?
• What works well?
• Are there any problems?
• What can AoC do to help?

20. Feedback
• Deputy or Vice Chair
• Chair review
• Peer mentoring

21. Get your copy of A Chair’s Compass
Join to get a print copy
Membership fee: £50 or £100
OR
Download from our website

22. Want to know more?
Leave us your details to:
Join us (Fee £50 or £100)
Receive our e-newsletter

23. A Chair’s Compass
Clarity of purpose
Cohesive board
Constructive relationships
Considered
decision-making

24. NCVO/BWB Trustee
Conference 2014
Developing exceptional
governance
#TRUSTEECONF2014