As a board member or chair, remember there are three ways discussion can happen in a board. Whether you are talking about fiduciary, strategic, or directional topics, you can apply these three methods, as appropriate:

Investigative (Let’s find out.) This approach is all about exploration and discovery. When the board is unclear on an issue, it’s important to take an investigative approach, asking probing questions and seeking to gather all relevant data. The board seeks to uncover facts, trends, or risks that need to be addressed. This method works well for…