Board Guiding Principles
Constructive Partnership:
The Board will strive to have a constructive partnership with the CEO, recognizing
that both roles are interdependent yet separate. Such a partnership requires trust,
candor, respect, and honest communication directly with the CEO, in a meaningfully
timely manner.
Mission Driven:
The Board will shape and uphold the mission as lead by the CEO, articulate a
compelling vision, and strive to ensure the congruence between decision and core
values. The Board acknowledges that the mission, vision, and core values are not
stagnant concepts, but are statements of crucial importance to be dynamically
utilized and folded into deliberations of the Board.
Strategic Thinking:
The Board needs to proactively allocate time to continuously engage in Strategic
thinking to hone the organization’s direction and guide the CEO. Agendas and goals
need to align with strategic priorities as well as be used to assess CEO performance,
drive meeting agendas and shape board recruitment.
Culture of Inquiry:
The Board commits to fostering a culture of inquiry. Such constructive debate
should be conducted through a style of mutual respect, candor and transparency
amongst the Directors. Seeking additional information, probing assumptions, and
challenging conclusions should be standard operating procedure to drive for
solutions based on analysis and the widest range of Board support.
Independent-Mindedness:
The Board is blatantly independent-minded. The Board will apply rigorous conflict
of interest procedures, guided by legal counsel and individual Director input, with
the Directors putting the interests of WECC above all else when making decisions.
The Directors do not allow their votes to be unduly influenced by loyalty to the CEO
or by seniority, position, or reputation of fellow board members, staff or
stakeholders.
Transparency:
The Board pro-actively supports transparency in its activities and decision making
so that stakeholders and interested members of the public have access to
appropriate and accurate information regarding finances, operations, and results.
The Board also ensures transparency internally, ensuring that every board member
has equal access to relevant materials and intra-Board discussion when making
decisions.
Compliance with Integrity:
The Board promotes the strongest ethical values and disciplined compliance by
establishing mechanisms for active oversight. The Board will use tools, such as
independent audits, to ensure accountability and sufficient controls; to deepen their
understanding of the organization; and to reduce the risk of waste, fraud and abuse.
Critical Linkage of Resources:
The Board links a bold vision and ambitious plans to financial support, expertise,
and networks of influence. Linking budgeting to strategic planning, the Board
approves activities that can be realistically financed with existing or attainable
resources, while ensuring that the organization has the infrastructure and internal
capacity it needs.
Results-oriented:
The Board is results-oriented. The Board measures the organization’s progress
towards the mission and evaluates the performance of major programs and
services. The Board gauges efficiency, effectiveness, and impact, while
simultaneously assessing the quality of service delivery, integrating benchmarks
against peers, and calculating the impact of the “investment” of WECC’s resources on
reliability.
Intentional Governance Focus:
The Board deliberately structures itself to fulfill essential governance duties and to
support WECC priorities. Making governance intentional, not incidental, the Board
will invest in structures and practices that can be thoughtfully adapted to changing
circumstances.
Continuous Learning:
The Board embraces the qualities of continuous learning at WECC, evaluating its
own performance and assessing the value the Board adds to WECC. The Directors
will imbed learning opportunities into routine governance work and in activities
outside of the boardroom.
Revitalization:
The Board will embrace planned turnover, thoughtful recruitment, and
inclusiveness. The Board values fresh perspectives and avoidance of closed groups.
The Board will revitalize itself through diversity of experience and periodic
recruitment of new Board members.