The Four Dimensions of a Governance Partnership Relationship

The relationship between the chair of the nonprofit board of directors and the chief executive of the organization is, according to the theory on governance partnership, foundational to the new leadership model for nonprofit organizations.

The new leadership model for nonprofit organizations, according to the theory of  governance partnership, is based on the following premises about the board chair and the chief executive:

• Every nonprofit organization has two key leaders.
• The board chair is a volunteer and is the elected leader of the board of directors.
• The chief executive is employed by the board of directors to be the leader of the organization.
• The board chair and the chief executive must work in partnership to lead the entire organization.

If the board chair and the chief executive want to develop an effective governance partnership, they must address the following dimensions of the governance partnership relationship:

1. The Structure of the Relationship. The roles and responsibilities of the board chair and chief executive describe the structure of the relationship.  If  job descriptions are not in place for one or both of these leadership positions, the board chair and the chief executive must begin the process of establishing a clear and a mutual understanding of their respective roles and responsibilities. If the structure of the relationship lacks clarity, the relationship will not develop into an effective partnership.
2. The Culture of the Relationship: The relationship between board chair and the chief executive must be based on mutual respect for each other and the organization. A commitment to mutuality creates a culture that enables the relationship to develop into an effective partnership. A culture committed to mutuality builds trust which leads to increased levels of openness and transparency between the board chair and the chief executive. The development of trust between the board chair and the chief executive fuels the expansion of organizational trust which can have a dramatic impact on the culture of the board and the organization.
3. The Process of the Relationship:  There are a number of processes in the governance partnership relationship that must be managed. The processes include:  the patterns of communication and interaction, decision-making and consensus building, and conflict management and resolution. It is the responsibility of the Chief Executive to ensure that these processes meet the needs of the partnership.  In many regards it is the chief executive’s responsibility to nurture, encourage and equip the relationship to become a governance partnership. The chief executive must be a faithful presence.
4. The Outcome of the Relationship: The outcome of an effective governance partnership, according to the theory of governance partnership, impacts the culture of the board and the organization. It creates an alignment between the work of the board and the organization enabling the organization to achieve shared mission outcomes and improve organizational performance.

An effective governance partnership relationship between the board chair and the chief executive will enable the nonprofit organization to significantly improve its mission impact and organizational performance.  The theory of governance partnership is a new leadership model for nonprofit organizations!