By "governance" we mean:

• the roles, functions and practices of an institutional governing body

• the working relationships, behaviors and actions of the governing body as a team of people

• the relationship between the governing body and the stakeholders it serves.

While most organizational improvement efforts are aimed at market, business and operational strategies, we believe that work at the policy level, i.e., the work of a governing body, can also yield tremendous benefits in performance and long-term sustainability.

For example, too often the decision-making processes in both public and private governance is characterized by polarization. Parties position themselves at the extreme in order to have the final outcome come closest to their preferred solution. We have found that by using an "interest based" decision-making model properly customized to match local conditions, governing bodies not only make better planning decisions, they also come away with stronger buy-in to those decisions and more positive sense of themselves. While such a model does not eliminate the very real, policy differences that will and should emerge, it does create a climate where differences can be negotiated more objectively, with a greater emphasis on substance versus political positioning.

Through our research and consulting practice, we have also identified a number of other "Board Best Practices" in areas such as structure, composition and planning. And while every Board is different, we have learned to focus our time and attention on the most critical issues in order to make the most efficient use of the most precious commodity for most Board members, time.