LUE-42 Enterprises November 2022 Ezine

I Believe In Fairness, Fun, And Sharing What I’ve Learned With The People Who Make This Planet A Great Place To Live

Issue 141, November 2022

October was full of adventure. Like many months, it started with a board meeting and then it just ramped up.

Took a road trip to Camrose to the stunning Bailey Theatre to catch a reading of our play "The Great Whorehouse Fire of 1921." This will run in February 2023 and we can't wait to see what this company has in mind for the show.

I got my winter tires put on early. The mild weather was hard on the tires, but easy on the soul.

Thanksgiving with friends and family was also easy on the soul, with my stomach also benefitting from great dishes prepared with love.

I did a ton of work in October on my beer course, "Beer Ingredients and Processes." My kitchen counter has looked like a brewery/ science lab for weeks. All manner of grains and hops are being treated in all ways, in hopes that I can finally grasp the science behind making beer. Not sure why this has been a struggle for me, but this mess on my counter must surely help.

I hosted a couple of beer tastings and pairings (Oktoberfest theme) and was even gifted a home tasting kit! I also made the trip to Red Deer to attend the Alberta Beer Awards. After volunteering on the judging weekend in September, it was fun to see it all play out. Congratulations to Brewery of the Year, Blindman Brewing in Lacombe, and to New Brewery of the Year, Irrational Brewing in Edmonton.

A quick stop in Calgary got me to a few favourite breweries/beer haunts, and then a few days in Canmore gave me a much enjoyed break in a glorious setting.

Coffees, meals, shows, and games with friends were highlights, as was being an audience for their creative pursuits. It is a privilege to witness work in progress, and a good reminder that I should push out more of my own instead of hiding it under a bushel.

My football team's season is done and while our record was dismal, there are promising things to take into the off season. Having no "skin in the game" for Grey Cup also means I can relax and enjoy myself in Regina in a few weeks.

Until then, self-care, studying, writing, and loving my boards should keep me out of trouble. PS I won a meat draw at the Legion! And speaking of Legions, please wear a poppy. I hope you have a fantastic November!

/lmwe

"Like swimming, riding, writing, or playing golf, happiness can be learned."

-- Dr. Boris Sokoloff

"I have a lot of proof that the world is conspiring to make me happy."

-- Matthew McConaughey

The Best Board Meetings

BoardSource recirculated "The Best Board Meeting I Ever Attended" by Les Wallace. Based on what boards are asking lately, it's time for the highlights again. Not only is this a departure from what boards used to spend time on, it represents a shift to doing more of, and better at, actual board work.

Consent Agenda Approval: "Proper use of the consent agenda moves dialogue to the more vital issues rather than to the information inherent in every board packet that simply requires a read-through and consent." (LMWE: Use this!)
Meeting Agenda: "The most important business and strategic issues were first on the formal agenda, and the rest was in descending order — no more “old business” “new business” stuff. Yes, it appears a bit radical and divergent from “Robert’s Rules,” but those “rules” are ancient history to today’s high-performance board where the agenda moves from financial to strategic to operations in that order." (LMWE: Yes!)
Dashboard Financials: "...This “at-a-glance” approach allows the board to scan the identified key indicators for monthly and year-to-date performance to budget as well as a past year comparison...The finance committee does the deep dive into the details as necessary and reports exceptions or recommendations to the entire board..." (LMWE: Try this too)
Board Succession: "...a discussion of the cadre of potential future board members the board had identified and engaged...early identification and development of next generation board members." (LMWE: Always be looking for your replacement!)
Reduced Jibber-Jabber: "Board members had read the board packet, and their contributions were cogent and to the issue. No repeating what other board members had said. No drifting off into “administrivia”... They saved space for meaningful dialogue later..." (LMWE: Sounds good)
Executive Summaries: "Staff and committee presentations/ recommendations were in “executive summary” one-page formats. Background information had been provided on the board section of the website for those who wished more detailed information. This jump-started the board discussion on action vs. the history of how we got there..."
Strategic Dialogue: "...45 minutes of dialogue about the continued relevance of the strategy, updates on progress, new data points/information relative to the strategy, confirmation of continued importance, and re-commitment to tactics, timing, and resources. This conversation was “generative” in that it focused on the creation of ideas and the development of new perspectives on strategy... expansive dialogue (not simply discussion)..." (LMWE: Stop fighting me on this!)
Board Development: "...This 15 minute segment of the agenda directly related to board development goals established during the annual strategic planning retreat and was based on the results of the board’s most recent annual self-assessment..."
Immediate Assessment: "...each board member completed a quick evaluation survey of the meeting, answering three open-ended questions: 1. Are you leaving the meeting confident in the overall performance of our organization? 2. Did you feel you had ample opportunity for input? 3. Would you change anything for future meetings?" (LMWE: Recap & regroup)

We can discuss whether and when to have an in camera (executive) session another time. For now, do all of most of these things and watch your meetings improve dramatically. Good luck!

/lmwe

Some People Who Made Life Better in October

MaryJane Alanko, David Cheoros, Patricia Darbasie, Janis Dow, Liz/Clayton Garratt, Leah Gyorfi, Carrie Habinski, Mike Hicks, Marilyn Hooper, Julia Kopala, Pat Macdonald, Sherrill McGilvary, Andy Northrup, Erin O'Neill, Lori Schmidt, Joan Seath, Michelle Swanson, Gerry West, Lil West, Chris Wood/Bobbie Fitzgerald, Helga & Peter Wood, Jenny Wood Narine

"A man's friendships are one of the best measures of his worth."

-- Charles Darwin