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< Back When It Comes to Board Meetings... Michael Daigneault Jan 27, 2015 We can do better. For more years than I sometimes care to admit, I’ve traveled the country consulting with credit union boards of directors and CEOs. One of the questions that frequently arises in our discussions is: How can we make our board meetings better? Better is certainly an aspirational – but also amazingly ambiguous – term. I’ve learned it can mean remarkably different things to different credit union leaders. For example, in the context of board meetings, I have been told better means: more strategic discussions, shorter meetings, a more engaging experience, an opportunity to hear everyone’s voice, more efficient meetings, fewer – but longer – meetings, meetings that produce more effective decisions, a more robust accountability culture, meetings giving clearer direction to staff and meetings producing greater consensus. These are all well intended, but also all over the map! It makes me wonder what’s really happening at many monthly credit union board meetings? Is this what the agenda looks like at your credit union’s board meeting? The chair calls the meeting to order and offers a brief set of general remarks or report. There’s then a CEO report, often followed by financial, staff and committee reports. There’s little time for genuine dialogue or discussion. Indeed, the agenda is often centered on telling the board various types of information – reinforcing the board’s role as overseers or fiduciaries. Old School Meetings Historically, most credit union board meetings have largely emphasized the board’s formal role. A routine (even rote) agenda has been frequently use to move efficiently (often thought of as “quickly”) from one report, informational item or policy issue to another. Board members were on hand to receive information or data, provide the required fiduciary oversight and make quick or final decisions when necessary. Many such decisions tended to be made immediately or even in advance of the board meeting. Tough questions – or even meaningful dialogue – were often viewed as hindering or even obstructing the meeting. In today’s credit union environment, however, this board meeting paradigm does not work particularly well. I often wonder if a critical mass of credit union boards even know they’re likely stuck in an outdated way of conducting their meetings? Why do I ask? Because the board meeting of the future looks remarkably different from the board meeting of the past. New School Meetings Yes, the chair still opens the meeting and offers some remarks, but now he or she notes unique elements for the meeting’s success. It’s the chair’s responsibility to help his or her colleagues focus, and set a tone that invites meaningful exchange. Such items as routine reports, informational items, administrative changes, minor alterations to policy and the like can often be included in a “ consent agenda ” and approved with a simple vote. Likewise, a thoughtful dashboard presented by the CEO can be used to efficiently and effectively highlight the critical indicators of your credit union’s efforts. After asking any needed clarification questions of the CEO or senior team, you and your director colleagues are then able to transition to the other central agenda items for the day: one or more strategic or educational discussions designed to help your credit union move forward. What would the members of your board do if, aside from the chair’s remarks, a consent agenda and an effective dashboard review, there was a significant strategic question posed for consideration and discussion, and you had more than an hour in which to really discuss it? How do you think your board colleagues would respond to such an experiment? Would they be open to the possibility or change? I strongly suggest you consider evolving your board agendas from emphasizing the formal role of your board to focusing on the board’s influential and persuasive role as well. Vary the agenda items and include open spaces for dialogue and deliberation where questions can be posed and collective learning can take place. Chairs, develop agendas that encourage strategic questions and dialogue from your colleagues. CEOs, you can help by identifying real strategic questions facing the credit union. In partnership with the chair, highlight such questions by building an agenda item around them. While I do not suggest that credit union volunteers or executives lessen their focus on fiduciary oversight, I do suggest they can meet smarter and more effectively. Namely, that board meetings focused predominantly on information or data exchange are not enough. I urge them to remember that vision, strategy and effective governance are among the board’s central responsibilities. The structure and culture of board meetings can greatly assist—or impede—such vital responsibilities. Previous Next

< Back Assess for Success Michael Daigneault Jul 27, 2015 8 surefire times you need to evaluate your board’s performance In a recent study conducted by Quantum Governance , only 22 percent of credit unions rated themselves as “effective” or “very effective” at conducting a regular process of self-evaluation. Comparatively, 34 percent felt they were ineffective or even “very ineffective ” in doing so. With the long tenure of credit union board members and the continually evolving business climate that faces today’s credit union, remaining relevant, current and ahead of the curve is more important than ever. In fact, it is incumbent upon every credit union director to do so. A board assessment is a critical component in an ongoing process of board renewal, strengthening and improvement. Done well, it can provide an objective and comprehensive perspective that ultimately will help your board and senior management team focus your efforts, activities and precious resources. Together, you will identify your credit union’s strengths and challenges and, in doing so, find ways to move forward collectively to the betterment of your members. You can frame your issues in a new way, generating bright ideas and insights that will lead your credit union effectively into the future. Plus, you will build a baseline against which you can measure future progress. You should definitely consider a board evaluation in the near term if you: have a new credit union board chair or CEO want to elevate your credit union’s leadership or strategy to the “next level” have been experiencing very high or very low board member turnover need to address issues or concerns with your current governance structure, policies and/or practices are getting ready to launch a new strategic planning initiative (or revise your current strategic plan) are considering a merger or acquisition have experienced significant change, growth or “crisis” within your credit union or board have not undertaken an evaluation in the last three years Previous Next

BREAKING NEWS: Quantum Governance Joins Callahan & Associates to Advance Credit Union Governance. Press Release Governance Grow Your Vision Welcome visitors to your site with a short, engaging introduction. Double click to edit and add your own text. Start Now We've Launched New Services to Meet the Needs of Smaller Credit Unions. Press Release Our Vision is Exceptional Leadership for Mission-Driven Organizations. Learn More Credit Union News Nonprofit News

Policy Shop Quantum Governance maintains an extensive Resource Library of contemporary governance policies, job descriptions and committee charters ― and our library continues to grow each year. Today, there are more than 65 different policies and documents available to assist you in achieving the goals within your Governance Action Plan.

< Back Some New Remote 'Norms' Are Here To Stay Michael Daigneault and Gisele Manole Aug 25, 2020 Five tips for a successful pivot to virtual board meetings At a recent credit union board retreat, we asked the group (a mix of board members and executive leadership); “How do you think the post-COVID-19 world will be different from the pre-COVID-19 world?” The answers were varied and included: More of the workforce will work remotely Better overall hygiene practices Less brick-and-mortar retail and other traditional storefront businesses Increased consolidation of the credit union field Fewer major airlines and fewer travelers We ask this question because, as they say, “the genie is out of the bottle” on so many of our new norms and behaviors. Our businesses and our culture have made a sharp turn to adapt to new laws about social distancing—a foreign concept just a few months ago. This pandemic has accelerated our transition into the digital realm. Which of the changes that we have made are likely to stick? Which ones should we adapt to craft the “new normal”? Perhaps the most immediate change our boards have had to make is switching to virtual meetings. So many boards are asking us and themselves if and how can they effectively and meaningfully conduct their work virtually? Quantum has had to make some changes along these same lines. While the majority of our work is conducted remotely, our facilitated retreats, often considered the pivotal “aha!” moment for many of our clients, had to be reinvented as virtual experiences. It was a daunting challenge but one that we attacked as a team composed of different strengths, talents and experiences. Some of us are more confident with new technologies than others. And then there was a sense of mourning for the loss of our in-person retreats. We had invested so much of ourselves over eight long years and hundreds of thousands of miles to fine-tuning our practices. Who are we without our flip charts, big stickies and colorful illustrations? How did we pivot? We practiced … a lot! We spent countless hours choreographing and rehearsing for our first virtual retreat. It is safe to say that we have successfully pivoted now that a number of our clients have commented, “I think this was actually a much better format for our retreat. We were so focused and got so much accomplished in a shorter period of time!” And, “This (virtual retreat) raised the board’s governance IQ but also our video conferencing and communication skills which will make us stronger, too.” Here are a few best practices that this short and intense period of adjustment has taught us about teamwork and conducting successful virtual meetings: While we are limited to only a virtual meeting format, make it the best possible experience. Be present just as you would be if you were seated in the same room with your colleagues. Make sure your video is on, that your face is well lit, that your sound is strong with no background noise or distractions, and that you are knowledgeable about how to use whichever conferencing platform you are using, such as Zoom or Google Meet. Come prepared in every other way and review in advance the board materials you were provided in advance. It may seem like common sense, but many board members still treat virtual meetings like “board meeting light,” as if they are in a holding pattern until they can meet in person again. This experience of continuing to operate and indeed grow your organization in a pandemic has likely already provided you with opportunities to conduct vital business and make board-level decisions remotely. If it hasn’t already, it will. Your loyalty to the mission of your credit union and your responsibilities as board members are the same today as they were in the pre-COVID-19 world. Have a focused agenda and aim to keep your virtual meetings to about 90 minutes. (We think two hours is the max.) Participation can fall off a cliff if a video conference goes on too long ... we have all been there! Consider meeting for more than one session if you need more than 90 minutes. Keep your agenda tight while leaving room for strategic discussion. It is a delicate balance and requires excellent meeting facilitation by the chair and active participation by the rest of the board. Use all of the tools available to you on whichever video conferencing platform you use , including “breakout rooms” for small groups and strategic discussions, “polling” (which is a great way to efficiently get a Five-Finger Consensus ) and the “chat” feature (which, used appropriately, is a great way to take the pulse of your entire group in record time.) Remember that teamwork is essential. Everyone has to be “all in” on the virtual experience and 100% committed to your meeting’s purpose. The pandemic crisis has been a gut check for leaders in the credit union community. Having a deep bench of various talents, experiences and cultures has never been more important. Perhaps nothing is a complete substitute for “breaking bread” and the ways that in-person meetings, practices and rituals build community and culture. However, think about how a hybrid model of virtual meetings (when done well) and in-person meetings (with social distancing, masks and hand sanitizer) can help you to expand the reach of your board recruitment and diversify your membership. As we continue to adjust to the post-COVID-19 “new normal,” the most important lesson is to remain nimble; don’t be afraid to try new things and accept that experimentation will lead to some failures, but ultimately to success as well. Previous Next

Supervisory & Audit Committee Resources A Cautionary Tale of Risk Management in This Time of Bank Failures Defining roles and responsibilities and continuing education help ensure appropriate coverage. Read More The Importance Of A Truly Independent Supervisory Committee If you’re shifting to an ‘audit’ committee instead, be careful not to sacrifice independent oversight at the altar of efficiency. Read More A Case for Reaching Higher Musings on the Federal Reserve’s proposed guidance on supervisory expectation for boards Read More ERM Is Everyone's Responsibility 10 steps to take to ensure your leadership is doing all it can to identify and manage risk Read More Supervisory Committees Function Well, But... Just like CUs and their boards, supervisory committees must change with the times. Read More

Board Succession, Composition & Renewal Resources In Search Of The Strategic Board Discover how credit union boards can become agile strategic partners and lead their institutions to future success. Read More Gender Equity In The Boardroom: We're Not Done Yet Boards still have work to do to support their female directors and wider DEI&B efforts. Read More Know When It’s Time To Go Holding onto your board position may be best for you, but what’s best for your credit union? Read More How Using a Recruiter Can Boost Board Succession Planning Efforts Approaching director searches like executive searches can produce great results. Read More A Continuously Bigger and Better Box Like a nautilus, Hudson Valley Credit Union’s board evolves beautifully into its next stage of governance. Read More Hudson Valley Credit Union’s Call for Board Candidates Refresh As part of its board recruitment renewal project, Hudson Valley CU developed a call for candidates that outlined specific attributes that matched its changing governance needs and values. Read More Key Outcomes And Lessons Learned From A Board Renewal Effort An analysis of Hudson Valley CU’s work to revise key governance processes. Read More Why Directors Are Chess Pieces, Not Checkers Every director should be ‘chair material’—even if they wouldn’t make a good chair. Read More Building Your Associate Board Member Program, From The Philosophy Up The groundwork for success includes commitment from the start. Read More Who's on Your Board Today? Tomorrow? The State of Credit Union Governance, 2018 report finds credit unions are more certain of their current mix of directors than they are about the future composition of their boards. Here’s what this means for board renewal. Read More The Ever-Elusive Millennial Director Tailor your message and medium in recruiting younger board members. Read More

Gisèle Manole Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Consultant Gisele’s work with credit union and nonprofit clients, and as a liaison to Quantum Governance’s strategic partners, leverages her 25 years of creative marketing, public relations and communications experience. Gisele is second chair on many client engagements and develops connections between clients, our team and the services we provide to further the firm’s mission. Gisèle has written articles on governance and leadership, communications and cultural dynamics for CU management and Advancing Women. Prior to her work with Quantum, Gisèle was the Senior Manager of Integrated Marketing for InStyle Magazine, developing large-scale, multi-media advertising and public relations campaigns for high-profile international brands. Gisèle’s early career included management positions with Condé Nast Publications, Hearst Corporation and Reader’s Digest Association, developing multi-platform programs that capitalized on the invention of social media and digital innovations partnering advertisers with beloved publications including SELF, Cosmopolitan, CosmoGIRL!, Gourmet and Every Day with Rachael Ray. Gisèle graduated from Villanova University in 1999 with a B.A. in English Literature and Political Science, and lives in North Carolina with her family. Back

Jennie Boden CEO & Lead Consultant Jennie brings more than 30 years of experience in governance, strategy, leadership, and development to the field. Jennie leads a team of consultants, topical specialists and other experts to meet the governance and strategic needs of the firm’s clients. For nearly a decade, Jennie has been the catalyst for developing countless tools, products and services, as well as alliances with the firm’s strategic partners. Jennie has led complex governance and strategic planning engagements with boards and executives at organizations as varied as CUES, CUNA, Hudson Valley Credit Union, Redwood Credit Union, Rivermark Community Credit Union, Washington State Employees Credit Union, Camphill Village, the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Con Edison, the Friends of the National Arboretum, the Gerontological Society of America, Morgan Stanley, Queens County Farm, the Tipping Point Community and so many more. She is widely published in CU Management, and she authors regular columns for Governance Matters and Advancing Women. Jennie served as Executive Director of the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA) and as Vice President of First Candle’s National Campaign for Cribs funded with a $3 million grant by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The organization generated more than $23 million in revenue during her tenure. Jennie has held a director-level position at the National Mental Health Association, overseeing $3.5 million in corporate contributions and started her career as the Director of External Relations for the Ethics Resource Center in Washington D.C. Jennie earned a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley and lives in New Hampshire with her family. Back

< Back Is Your Organizational Success An Accident? Gisele Manole & Jennie Boden Nov 22, 2022 New study suggests where to look for the answer. We’ve been studying credit union governance for more than a decade now and amassed mountains of data on credit unions of all asset sizes and from all over North America. Perhaps the most frequently asked question we hear is some variation of, “How do we know when we’re getting it right? Our assets are increasing, and our membership is growing so we must be governing ourselves well. Right?” As we prepare to publish The State of Credit Union Governance, 2023 Report, we looked closely at the data to see if it was clear to us what the key indicators were that a credit union was governing itself well—that as a credit union’s assets and membership grew, the organization’s governance practices were evolving too, both in terms of meeting changing regulations and best practices. What we learned focused our attention on four things: 1) board members meeting their roles and responsibilities; 2) members of the credit union’s governing system (board and supervisory/audit committee members and senior leadership) meeting high accountability measures; 3) strong levels of volunteer engagement; and 4) building and maintaining a leadership culture of trust. We found there is a significant positive correlation among each of these four areas of governance—meaning that if a respondent reports that their credit union is highly effective in one of the governing elements, they generally report that they are highly effective in the other three elements, too. Therefore, the four elements—accountability, board member roles and responsibilities, engagement and trust—are inextricably linked and together provide tremendous insight into the strength of your credit union’s governance. Figure 1: The Four Elements of Good Governance These findings identify the four elements as likely keys to unlocking the secret to good governance and creating a high-functioning board. In addition to pinpointing areas of focus, our findings suggest that actions to improve the effectiveness of one of the four elements may lead to improved effectiveness in the other three elements. So, as we begin to more succinctly answer the question, “How do we know when we’re getting it right?” we can look to these four areas of governance for some indication of whether your credit union’s board and executive leadership are “getting it right” or not, and whether further study is necessary to identify which element of your governance needs your focus to ensure the continued success of your vision and mission. Previous Next

< Back Women In Football, Politics And Credit Union Boardrooms Jennie Boden Feb 11, 2021 It’s important to prioritize and value diversity. It’s Super Bowl Sunday as I write this, and it’s snowing at my home in New Hampshire. My husband has made a big batch of his famous mac and cheese, and we have a fire roaring in our wood stove in the ell. (Unless you’re from New England, you won’t know what an ell is, but it’s a great term that means the room that connects the house to your barn. For us, that room has been refinished to a cozy family room.) We’re getting ready to watch Tom Brady (yes, I’m still rooting for him) take on Patrick Mahomes. But the news that I’ve been focused on this week is about the three women who “will be making history” tonight—National Football League referee Sarah Thomas and Tampa Bay Buccaneer assistant coaches Maral Javadifar and Lori Locus. While Tom Brady will be playing in a record 10th Super Bowl, for the first time in NFL history, three women will also be on the field tonight. While the female football ref and coaches made news all week, I also saw an interview with Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando, two sisters who happen to be Olympic gold medalists in hockey. Aside from continuing to play the sport that they love, they’ve also dedicated their lives to inspiring the next generation of young girls to fight for equality in sports. Asked about tonight’s history-making Super Bowl, one of them said, and I’m paraphrasing here, “We’ll know we’ve made progress when this is no longer a story.” I couldn’t agree more. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I think it’s great that history will be made tonight. Just as I thought it was great that Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris to be his running mate, and she is now our vice president, regardless of the politics. But why does it still have to be history-making? Because it is. I had the same reaction when I was speaking recently with CUES member Deborah Acosta Conder, board chair at $2.5 billion JSC Federal Credit Union , Houston, Texas. Conder was bringing me up-to-speed on some recent appointments that the credit union had made to its board of directors. She shared that under her fresh leadership, and the constructive partnership that she was building with relatively new CEO Brandon Michaels, also a CUES member, she had communicated to the board that the credit union needed a “more diverse board—an expanded board, because the credit union was expanding its own strategic vision.” With an acute focus on diversity, Conder noted that being “a person of color herself,” she had always wanted “the membership to see themselves reflected on the board.” And now, she was in a position to make a difference. Acting with purpose, Conder and her colleagues first identified the core competencies, skills and qualities they wanted in their new board members. Although the legacy of the credit union was proudly and firmly tied to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the team decided to recruit some board members outside of the famous space agency. The group prioritized diversity, individuals with broader experience who had been through mergers and acquisitions, and people with legal and digital strategy experience. And they hit the jackpot. They also changed where and how they recruited board members. Conder called on each of her board colleagues (and we would encourage the inclusion of the CEO in this process too) to explore their own, personal networks. If great, potential candidates for your board are not already members of your credit unions, assuming you have a fairly open charter, they can join! The recruiting team also worked with the local United Way’s Project Blueprint that “trains tomorrow’s nonprofit board leadership, ensuring that Greater Houston’s nonprofit sector reflects the rich diversity of [its] community.” The results? Three new additions to the board who all bring with them not only great diversity but also great competence. One is even a coveted millennial! Michaels agrees with Conder that the credit union will be better for it. A third-generation CEO, following in the footsteps of both his grandmother and his mother, he says that throughout his life, he relied on the perspectives of these two pioneering women: “When I look at boards, I value diversity of thought and experience. We all have various perspectives based on our lives and our journeys, and it is that very diversity of thought that is incredibly important to us in our boardroom because our members are diverse.” New board member Lavonne Burke Hopkins, senior legal director, cybersecurity, product & application security, and Dell Digital for Dell Technologies Inc., joined the JSC FCU board because she believes that there is alignment between her “day job” and the current strategic initiatives being undertaken by the credit union. She was happy to find that board service at the credit union is a perfect way to “marry her experience with her own personal goals of service.” Her new board colleague Dwayne D. Busby serves as the executive director overseeing the mission, goals and overall purpose of strategic partnerships at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Conder tapped Busby, of course, for his strategic thinking skills, and he is more than happy to provide them. He was honored to be approached by the chair, who is a leader in the community, and he, too, sees board service as a way of giving back to his community, which has done so much for him. His goal? To help determine how the credit union’s strategic plan actually works in Houston’s very diverse community. Lastly, Portia S. Keyes was tapped during this last round of elections too, and the board is lucky to have her. Keyes is a contracting officer at NASA Johnson Space Center. A strong “believer in the power of teamwork,” Keyes joined the board because she, too, believes that “serving the credit union is an extended way of serving her community.” She also volunteers for Fifth Ward GO Neighborhood, a Houston-based initiative dedicated to revitalizing the city’s communities. In The State of Credit Union Governance 2020 , published by Quantum Governance in partnership with CUES and the David and Sharon Center Johnston Centre for Corporate Governance Innovation, we found that demographic diversity was ranked No. 1 among the highest priorities when recruiting new board members among our respondents, but only sixth among those skills that add value in the boardroom. Could it be that everyone is talking about the need for greater diversity in the boardroom, but no one understands why they need it? At JSC FCU, clearly, leaders are both valuing and prioritizing diversity. They, along with all of us at Quantum Governance, would encourage your credit union to do both, too. Previous Next

< Back Desert Wildlife Conservation This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. You can create as many collections as you need. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own, or import content from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, videos and more. You can also collect and store information from your site visitors using input elements like custom forms and fields. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Preview your site to check that all your elements are displaying content from the right collection fields. Power in Numbers 30 Programs 50 Locations 200 Volunteers Project Gallery Previous Next