Blogs

Stand and deliver – but for heaven's sake stop meddling 6

Governance | David Philpott | 17 Jan 2012

Chairs have a place in charities, says David Philpott, but it shouldn't be in the stationery cupboard counting pens, or debating the cost of electricity.

Over the past 35 years I have had the misfortune of serving under some pretty atrocious charity chairmen. There have been the pompous, the racists, the homophobes, the manipulative, the conflicted, the bullies and the interfering.

With a mortgage to pay, one learns to keep one’s mouth shut and negotiate one’s way around these personality disorders masquerading as pillars of society, but with each and every approaching trustee meeting the tension often rises and the stresses increase. Life at the top is indeed lonely.

I have also though – from time to time – had the joy and pleasure of working with brilliant men and women who truly understand what their role is. Entrusted with the strategic leadership of a charity that is not their own personal possession, they lead with a light hand, steer with great dexterity when the ship goes slightly off course and stand down with good grace when they have finished their allotted three or six-year term. As I write, one chairman I serve under is made of such stuff and I only hesitate to credit him by name here lest I put the mockers on our beautiful friendship.

Over the past few years I have led a peculiar – some might say schizophrenic – existence, for I have contemporaneously served as both chairman and CEO – not of the same charities you understand – that really would be wrong – but of different charities at the same time. In so doing, I think I have formed the view that just as professional footballers who have to retire early on account of an injury, often make the best referees, so former charity chief executives perhaps make the best charity chairs.

Next month I will take on a new chairmanship of a large regional charity which employs over 250 staff and has a turnover of £10m per annum. It is what we might have called in the 1970s ‘a dead big gig’. Because it is such a significant appointment – and one which I will hold whilst serving as a CEO at another charity – I have been thinking long and hard about how I can support its chief executive and his senior management team and to this end I wish to develop my own ten commandments which will set the ground rules for our interaction.

One will be: When the budget has been properly scrutinised and adopted, let the CEO get on with spending it. I can’t tell you how many times I have sat through three-hour board meetings whilst trustees argue over changing energy supplier. Not to mention the needless meddling in selecting font types for publicity materials, or junior staff appointments.

Leadership is a life-long learning experience, so if any besieged or micro-managed CEO out there has any suggestions for me to add to my ten commandments, all will be gratefully received. I am still learning...

Tweet

Who's Who: David Philpott