Most board members know micromanaging is bad. Boards criticize themselves all the time for long meetings, trivial agenda items, and an inability to delegate: “We should be making policy, not managing the operation.” Staff and volunteers chafe at the need to bring projects back to the board at each point along the way. A seemingly innocuous report can be a red flag in the board’s face, provoking it to meddle.
Beyond self-criticism, though, few boards know how to escape from the temptation to spend all their time on trivialities. John Carver, a consultant whose “Policy Governance” system has transformed many non-profit and public boards, offers one possible model. But does it fit the needs of churches and synagogues? I consider this question on an article in Congregations (subscribe!) that is on the Alban Institute website: