Swings + Roundabouts Spring 2021

And so on. These questions can be asked of every project and initiative, and can inform all Board and executive decisions. 3. WHAT TO DO WHEN OPERATIONAL MICROMANAGEMENT USURPS STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT Micromanagement can get Board conversations totally off-track, with sometimes dire results. I define micromanagement as “When there is an operational focus with no strategic oversight”. Most childcare centres employ a centre manager or lead employee. That person must have the skills to manage the daily activities of the centre to a business or annual plan that helps to deliver on the strategic goals and hence achieve the Vision. The Board needs to have confidence that the person in that management role can do the job. Where the role of the Board is to define the “what” – what a centre wants to achieve; the role of the centre manager is to define the “how” – how the strategic goals will be broken down into annual chunks and delivered so the centre ultimately achieves its Vision and succeeds. The Board sometimes needs to micromanage a particular issue, but should always have a strategic oversight of what the bigger picture is when dealing with that issue. A good Board will then move out of the micromanaging phase (quickly) back into the strategic oversight focus. Micromanagement in this context doesn’t mean the members of the Board get involved in day-to-day management. Rather, they work with the centre manager to re-define the strategic goal and their expectations, taking account of what is preventing progress and how to get around this. Your Vision statement can again provide guidance on how to deal with micromanaging that is not appropriate. Questions such as: “How will this information inform our discussions around the vision elements?” can focus people back again on the key strategic issues. Other questions such as “What is the bigger strategic issue here that we need to be aware of?” can keep people focused strategically rather than on pet peeves or more familiar operational questions that the Board member may be using in their day job. 4. HOW TO HELP THE CHAIR Act as if you were the Chair. Be aware of what a good Chair should do, and be this yourself. Invite other comments from those that have not shared their views. Refocus the conversation back to the strategic issues. Summarise conversations and use the Vision statement as a way of focusing your thoughts and summaries. Help others to reframe their comments into either questions, or with a greater strategic focus. Call out bad behaviour. Act as if you were the Chair also means that you know when to speak up and when to keep quiet. And overarching all this is the Vision of the future you want created that is articulated by your Vision statement. 5. WANT TO KNOW MORE? The ECC offers Good Governance workshops regionally throughout the year. In addition, this popular workshop is offered as an in- house option for those community-owned centres seeking a more tailored experience. Finally, an abridged version is available as an e-Learning video from the ECC. Go to our website, (www.ecc.org.nz) for more information or call 0800 742 742. September 2021 { 29 }