Ontario Chamber of Commercepresented by: Bob Malcolmson,C.E.O. & General Manager

Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce

BOOT CAMP 2004THE WHO DOES WHAT OF A

CHAMBER

BOOT CAMP AGENDA

Introduce the Panel The Alien Test Staff and the Chamber The Manager, Chief Volunteer, The

Board How you Might use this Information Questions & Answers

The Panel

Chief VolunteerJohn Hertel, Chair Education

Committee Ontario Chamber of Commerce

Chief Staff PersonBob Hammersley, President and C.E.O

St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce

THE ALIEN TEST

If an Alien abducted your Board today

1)Would anyone care?2)Would it make any difference in

your community?3) How much would you pay to get

some or all of them back?

Are the Board Members and staff clear on WHAT their roles are

HOW their roles and responsibilities differ?

The Chamber Staff

Day to day needs of between 200 and 1500 Members

15,000 to over 30,000 inquiries per year.

Add the operation of a Tourism Centre or a Motor Vehicle Licensing office or a provincial Park

The Chamber Staff

Order Products Pay bills Financial Statements Update Website Certificates of Origin Member Referrals Group Insurance Plan

The Chamber Staff

Business After Five Business Before Breakfast Mayor’s Luncheon Annual General Meeting Trade Show Awards Dinner Golf Tournament

The Chamber Staff

Monthly Board & Committee Meetings

Annual Board Elections Tourism Political Action Voice of Business all levels of

Government Directory & Newsletter

The Manager

President, COO, GM, CAO, CEO, GM, ED Directs Administration and co-

ordinates the Chamber activities Guides and directs the support

staff in activities and objectives Recruitment and member

retention

The Manager

Directs operations to achieve budgets

Financial watchdog to preserve the capital and reserve funds of the chamber

Promotes direct volunteer involvement

The Manager

Establishes and maintains high profile relationships with business leaders and community leaders

Directs development of budgets, strategic plans, long and short term goals of chamber

The Manager

Member and principal resource person to the Board

Appraises and evaluates the results of over-all operation

Supervises communication programs

Acts as spokesperson

The Manager

Ensures Chamber activities in compliance with government regulations and laws

Ensures that interests and welfare of employees preserved and protected

Ensures that interests of Board are preserved and protected

The Manager

Maintains and recommends changes to Chambers Strategic Plan for the growth of the chamber

Ensures operating policies are consistent with Board pollicies and objectives and ensures execution

The Manager

Directs the development and establishment of equitable personnel policies

Directors Insurance

Staff is responsible to General Manager

The Chief Volunteer

Set the tone for the year ensuring that the future planning and goals of the Boards Strategic Plan are followed through with

Attend as many social and community functions where Chamber representation is desirable

attend the OCC and CCC Annual General Meeting when possible

The Chief Volunteer

The President or Chair• Official spokesperson for Chamber• plan along with CEO all meetings of

Executive and Board• Chairs Executive and Board meetings• Leads and receives delegations• Mandate, Mission, Vision, Objectives

The Chief Volunteer

Maintains the Chambers relationship with the Chamber network and the OCC and CCC

Official voting delegate at OCC and CCC

convenes and Chairs Nominating Committee

The Board

Giving Money is enough for a Board seat. Warm bodies are Welcome.Board members tolerated even if not adding value (even if detracting)

OR ARE

The Board - Responsibility

Competent people actively recruited for a Board Seat. A Waiting ListAn Honour to be on Board• Ambassadors for Business• Represent all the businesses in

community

Board Member - Role Clarity

Role Clarity - Accountability is critical

when Board Member acting as • Advisor/Consultant to Management• Volunteer on Committee• Board Member

Board Member - Role Clarity

As Consultant/Advisor to management he or she is accountable to management

As Volunteer he or she is accountable to the committee chair or staff

Board Member - Role Clarity

As a Board member has no special status over and above any other member except when he or she is in a duly called Board meeting

Board Member - Role Clarity

Must add value and not just mind the store.

Must be focused on future and achieving the mission

Must concentrate on policy

Board - Responsibilities

Move from Micro to Strategic Management

Keep Board out of Staff Duties Strategic Planning Ensure Board duties are back on

Board Whole Board must be involved in

Strategic Planning

Financial Management

Are adequate Financial Tools in Place?

•Financial Policies, •Internal Controls,•Regular Audits,•Financial Reports

Financial Management

Do Board Members understand and contribute to discussion of your financial status? OR Are they just a rubber stamp?

Financial Management

Are Statutory remittances noted at

Board Meetings

(i.e. GST, Revenue Canada, PST)?

Do Board members approve an Annual Budget?

Financial Management

Are new members and terminations discussed at the Board level?When Does a member become a member? After Board Approval or when the cheque is presented?

Incorporation & Legal Issues

Does the Board understand its legal responsibility for the Chamber?

Is the Board operating within the By-laws?

Director’s Insurance Conflict’s of Interest &

Confidentiality

Governance

Agree upon role and responsibilities

Committees develop policy Boards debate, approve and

monitor policy Staff puts in place policy

Strategic Planning

Do you have an established Strategic Planning Cycle linked to Fiscal Year-end and Budget?

A professionally run planning process?

Involvement in the planning process by Board, Committee Volunteers and staff?

Recruitment, Retention Renewal

Is Your Chamber known as

“AN OLD BOYS CLUB”?

Board Recruitment

A Successful Recruitment Record Staggered entry and Board

turnover Diversity of the community Nomination Process

Orientation

New members given appropriate orientation

Must be organized Plan and Budget Time

for Board Development Make it Meaningful Orientation Manual

Orientation

Annually as part of Orientation review•Strategic Plan•Business Plan•Budget•Board Job Description

Effective Meetings

Do Board Members Arrive prepared for meetings, having read the agenda, minutes and reports sent out in advance?

Are meetings serving a useful purpose?

Effective Meetings

Are meetings spent on;Housekeeping formalitiesSpeeches,Non-Board itemsNon- Agenda itemsHandouts

Effective Meetings

The Chair• Controls the Meeting• Is like a traffic cop directing traffic -

The Chair should Direct the Discussion• Should refrain from entering the

Discussion • Duty is to get the Board to debate the

issues.

Effective Meetings The Handout

Director - “I didn’t have time to get this to you sooner.”

Chair - “I will give each of you a few minutes to look at this before we open discussion and then call the motion.”

THE ONLY MOTION Move to TABLE

Effective Meetings

Do Board members Leave meetings with a clear sense of what was determined and their responsibilities?

External Climate

Is your Chamber recognized for community leadership?

Work with other Organizations Participate at OCC or CCC Policy for dealing with Media,

Government and Major stakeholders

Human Resources

Micro Management Does the Board permit the

Manager to do his or her job within a mutually understood framework?

Staff and volunteers MUST work as a Team to be effective.

Internal Climate

Is Your Chamber’s viability due to the contributions and leadership of;

Many People,One Personor a Few?

Internal Climate

Are Members able to influence the decision-making process?

Newsletter

Internal Climate

Your Chamber should be open to people with diverse views, opinions and experience.

Conflicts arising at the Board are they generally Acknowledged and dealt with in an open positive manner?

Internal Climate

Are relationships among Board Members, Staff, Volunteers characterized by: • Openness, • Trust and• Mutual Respect ?

HIDDEN AGENDA’S

Internal Climate

Volunteer Handbook Event List for the Year Press Release and Interview Policy Confidentiality Policy Conflict of Interest Policy Staff Training

Internal Climate

Remember!!!!

Volunteers & Staff must be appreciated for their Contribution and Accomplishments

Internal Climate

The Manager and Chief Volunteer MUST WORK AS A TEAM

COMMUNICATIONS

How you Might Use this Information

Compare Trends to your own Chambers practice.List the Variances to your current practice.

Consider identifying areas of possible improvement

How You Might Use this Information

Identify What is - Attracting New Board Members- Driving Board Members away

Set priorities and Develop Action Plan to Correct the Variances.

COMMUNICATE

So How much would you pay an Alien to get some or all of your Board back?

THANK YOU