Chapter 6 - Role of boards of management

As stated in the National Disability Service (2008) guide for boards of management of disability service providers, the role of boards is to be responsible for:

…ensuring that their organisations are effective, sustainable, responsive and capable of delivering high quality services. Boards are also responsible for ensuring their organisation’s compliance with relevant legislation and funding requirements.

Boards may need to lead and support their organisation through changes to the way services are provided, to ensure that they are flexible and targeted to the individual needs of people with a disability, and compliant with the principles and provisions of relevant legislation.

In reviewing or developing a complaint resolution process in organisations which have a committee or board of management (BOM), it is important to be clear on the role performed by the board as distinct from the Chief Executive Officer. Boards of management should make sure that their organisation has sound internal processes for managing complaints, but not actually be part of that process.

Members of boards and executive leadership groups can sometimes be confused by the reference to management. In some organisations the term ‘board of governance’ is used to make explicit the focus on governance level issues rather than operational management (Victorian Healthcare Association, 1995). However, it is important that disability support providers understand the differences between the two terms.

The main aim of a board of management group is to govern the overall operations of the organisation to ensure it operates in a proper and effective manner. This should not be confused with the day-to-day management of the organisation, which is usually carried out by the senior paid staff member (Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS), 2007). It may be useful to consider the application of the doughnut approach described  later (see Chapter 8) for both the board and executive leadership group so that there can be greater clarity about respective areas of responsibility.

In relation to community service organisations:

Governance means:

• to oversee and monitor
• to provide leadership and direction
• to accept ultimate responsibility for the overall organisation.

Management means:

• (executive leadership group) to undertake the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities for the operations of the organisation according to the policies and standards laid down by the governance body (this usually includes administration, programming, volunteer supervision etc).

Where an organisation has a paid coordinator, manager or executive officer, the responsibility for ‘managing’ the day-to day responsibilities usually rests with that person. However, it is the job of the executive leadership group to appoint the appropriate staff for this position and to provide adequate support, direction, policies and procedures to enable them to work effectively.

It is equally important that the executive leadership group adopt an attitude of trust and confidence in staff, so they can ‘get on with the job at hand’ in a spirit of goodwill and confidence (VCOSS, 2007).