Governance

It’s not enough for us to simply achieve our goals.  It matters HOW we achieve our goals, and good governance is our promise to our community, our agency, our department, and our staff and clients that we have values and integrity.  Good governance creates trust for everyone involved, which always leads to success!

The challenge often is that we are so busy with the day-to-day workload which leaves little time to attend to all the components that make up governance.  Let the McLean Consulting Group lend you our decades of experience and facilitate these foundational and guiding ideas for you.

A Vision Statement is your dream come true if all resources and partnerships were available.  Nike has “Just Do It” and people instantly understand what the brand is all about.  Let us help you discover your byline which will keep the organization, the staff and all efforts focused on the ultimate goal for you.  Every ship needs a rudder that steers then to a destination.  Where are you going?

A Mission Statement is your 30 second elevator pitch to anyone who asks, “What do you folks do?”  It is concise and allows all stakeholders to easily understand the core functions of your business.  This is an important statement for Boards and staff who often see possibilities on the horizon.  If the opportunity is not in line with the Vision or the Mission, then it is a distracting energy and will divert precious resources to places not congruent with the destination.

Values define corporate culture and acknowledge that not only is it important that we achieve our goals, but it is defining as to how we achieve our goals.  Boards are tasked with setting corporate culture, and we can assist you in articulating what your values are and how they can be ensconced in every employees day to day existence.  Your client and stakeholders will know the difference and you will achieve all your goals with a values-based approach to management.

By-Laws Corporate and organizational by-laws regulate how your organization legally must govern itself and are established during the creation or your organization.  This does not mean they cannot change and indeed, provincial, and federal legislation changes from time to time, requiring you to update them.  You can also update your by-laws if you find that your current set no longer help but hinder the operation of your organization.  We can help you review, suggest modifications, and get legal counsel on the changes so that your organization can move forward.

Policies and Procedures provide clarity for your staff and stakeholders, so they know what the rules and expectations are and the proper way to respond at work.  They are also critical to ensure that your organization is not at risk of liability and legal action.  One of the most common mistakes organizations make is developing policies and procedures but not figuring out how to enforce them.  Regular reviews of policies is the work of the Board of Directors while procedures are the purview of the senior management.  Allow us to help you develop policies and procedures for the constantly changing work environment and review your current ones so that everyone involved with your organization feels confident in taking initiative.

Organizational Capacity reviews are your reality check.  Strategic plans can be developed but if your program or organization realistically lacks the resources required to accomplish the goal, then all that planning was for not.  The questions we help you answer include:

• Does our current organizational structure work?
• Are there clearly defined job descriptions that capture all the positions you need?
• Do you have enough staff to get the job done?
• Do your staff have the skills, experiences and connections to do their job?
• Do you have enough financial resources to accomplish your goals?
• If not, do you have staff that can dedicate time to writing grants, or should you hire the McLean Consulting Group to secure funding like the millions of dollars we accessed for other organizations?
• Do you have staff with enough time in the day to develop relationships with critical stakeholders and partners?
• Do you have a succession plan for your key staffing roles?