IRECTOR The Columbus Chamber of Commerce’s New Fiscal Year arrived on Oct. 1, and with that, three new additions to the Board of Directors. This effectively kicked off a “new” Board that recently engaged in a day of training at the annual Chamber Board Retreat, which included leadership, communication, and board governance training.
Many thanks to our first trainer of the day, our very own Michael Meier, PhD, PE. Mike is a retired engineer in commercial nuclear energy with a doctorate in organizational psychology. Mike is also Certified in the Meyers Briggs Assessments. Utilizing Mike’s expertise, each Board member received an assessment. Mike presented the Meyers-Briggs system’s intricacies and the individual assessments’ results. He highlighted the differences between Board members who might be more detail- orientated versus those who are more creative or spontaneous and the effects each of those can have on a team. He underlined the communication of an extrovert versus an introvert and that we can all learn to communicate more effectively no matter what type of “vert” we are.
The Board’s next training segment at the Retreat was parliamentary procedure, also known as “parli-pro.” We know that the board of directors leads an organization, and for that organization to be as effective as possible, it must function effectively. This begs the question, “What does it mean for a Board to function effectively?” Zach Zahradnik and Mike provided answers.
Zach Zahradnik left his job as an ag teacher for the world of insurance at Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, but only after the rules and processes of parliamentary procedure were embedded in his soul. As a teacher in the vocational-ag program with the offshoot of Future Farmers of America (FFA), Zach became accomplished in parliamentary procedure, so much so that he is currently studying to become a certified Parliamentarian. From this deep well, Zach took the Board through the basics of parli-pro before a deeper dive into various scenarios. The Board caught on and was able to utilize his points quickly. As he mentioned several times, the purpose of parliamentary procedure is to take care of the business at hand as efficiently and effectively as possible.
“What is it for a Board to function effectively?” Answer: Understanding the personalities of your Board members, implementing parliamentary procedures, and then by using that knowledge you will have a Board that functions effectively!
Thank you, Mike and Zach!
