Galvin and Associates

Some boards write limitations policies that go into way too much detail. This is especially common for the section about financial matters. If a board is worried about something that might not be handled correctly, they will want to keep getting more and more specific about what is not allowed. This sometimes is driven by a governing board that is trying to manage the organization through limitations policies. Some governing boards grow frustrated stating all the limitations policies in the negative, that is, what the organizational leader and staff may not do. So, they rewrite them all in positive form specifying how things are to be done in the organization. This small change essentially flips them over to serving as a managing board. If the organization is in decline, this transition may be just what is needed. Where it makes sense, these policies, written in positive or directive form, should be considered part of the organizational handbook.

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