Handling Surprises at Board Retreats

I’m in the midst of planning several consulting jobs this fall, and it occurs to me that planning a board retreat is a lot like strategic planning. Sometimes unexpected circumstances ruin even the best-laid plans. Then the consultant (like an organization) has to think quickly and respond flexibly without losing sight of the ultimate goal—engaging a board meaningfully in its own work.

A few years ago I was invited to facilitate an orientation for the board of a well-known NGO. The chair knew that an induction retreat could help integrate new members while offering a refresher course to returning trustees. So I developed an agenda that included the usual topics: a definition of good governance, a review of board roles and responsibilities, protocols for meetings and committees.

Alas, at the start of the day, some parenthetical remarks nearly upset the entire plan. In my opening comments I outlined what the bylaws said about governance and the board. To my surprise, it turned out that no one had ever read the bylaws before, and what they said were in stark contradiction to the way the board currently operated.

Disagreements immediately flared about whether the board or the bylaws were more out of line. Dismayed, I could see the good feeling of the day go up in smoke, along with my carefully planned agenda.

On the brink of disaster, I did what always works best in such moments: I called for a coffee break.

When we reconvened, the group quickly decided to chuck the agenda and spend the rest of the day revising the bylaws. It was hard work, but by 5 p.m. we had made significant headway. A tired but satisfied mood filled the air.

In the end, it was so clearly a richer day than I’d originally planned that I was grateful for the disruption. The trustees weren’t just hearing about good governance but were actually practicing it by critically reviewing their own bylaws. In the process, they got to know each other and the organization much better.

As for me, I learned how important it is, as a consultant, to stay nimble and responsive to change so long as you realize your ultimate purpose. Of course, it’s always preferable to have an agenda to guide you—but when the unforeseen comes along, far better to earn a few grey hairs on an uncertain path than stick to a plan that no longer applies. Provided, of course, there's time for an occasional coffee break!