Who decided that?!? Insight to Board Decision Making

It is often through hindsight that the value of a Board decision is judged. Years, even months after, both those affected by a decision and those who took it will sometimes ask, “Who decided that?” There are many factors that play into a good Board decision, including the quality of Board paper, the range of options, the quality of debate, effective challenge, corporate perspective, understanding of the context, and the ability of the Chair to effectively steer discussion and move to a decision. Boards make many fewer decisions than they think they do. In observing a Board meeting, held over 7 hours with over 650 pages of papers, there was not one paper for decision. This Webinar will delve into decision making as one of the key roles of the Board. We’ll look at the four levels of Board engagement in decision making: rubber stamping, probing and questioning, setting strategic direction, and shadowing. For each level we’ll explore what it means for the Board and the organisation it directs. We’ll also consider a range of related factors that influence decision making: • Best practice in Board papers • Strategic versus operational focus • The roles of board members • Corporate versus functional perspective We’ll use a range of models to explore Board decision making, and will draw on experience from across the NHS and beyond. John Deffenbaugh, a director of Frontline and an NHS non-executive director, will host this Webinar.