Two Paradigms for Reading Your Organization
Pragmatic systems analysis plus constructivist listening: the dual lens that makes organizational assessment honest, from Mel Meier, DBA.
The Periodic Review Principle: Structures Deserve Scheduled Re-Examination
Boundaries, structures, and policies set decades ago escape re-examination. Why authority implies review duty, by governance advisor Mel Meier, DBA.
Reading Member Trust Data Like a Governance Professional
Neutral scores are not fine. What member trust data reveals about governance clarity and communication, from Mel Meier, DBA.
Financial Stewardship for Volunteer Boards
Internal controls, long-range planning, and risk awareness are board duties, not staff favors. Financial stewardship essentials, by Mel Meier, DBA.
Technology Governance Literacy: The New Fiduciary Frontier
Data stewardship, learning platforms, and systems risk now sit squarely in fiduciary territory. Why boards need technology literacy, by Mel Meier, DBA.
Board Recruitment Starts With a List of Needs
Recruit against assessed competency gaps, not availability and familiarity. Building an evidence-based board list of needs, by Mel Meier, DBA.
Non-Response Is Data: Reading Silence in Board Surveys
Low participation and deleted responses tell you about engagement and psychological safety. How to read board survey silence, by Mel Meier, DBA.
What a Governance Assessment Actually Examines
Four evidence streams: scores, narratives, governing documents, and observed behavior. How a real governance assessment works, by Mel Meier, DBA.
Mission Alignment: The Anchor Test for Every Board Decision
When directors hold different interpretations of the mission, every decision downstream fragments. The anchor test for boards, by Mel Meier, DBA.
Concentration of Power: A Structural Risk Every Board Should Map
When one person holds multiple influential roles, accountability blurs and conflicts multiply. How to map and reduce the risk, by Mel Meier, DBA.