Yet there are millions of them, all trying to contribute to the betterment of something: public schools, universities, credit unions, banks, youth clubs, associations, civic clubs, charities, foundations, country clubs and music guilds. You name it; there is a board governing it - or trying to!

Despite the inherent worth of boards, for every one board that works well, there are scores of others that don't. Why? Most board members have been thrust into a governing system so inherently flawed that its failure was predictable.

Boards usually fail because their "governing system" -or lack of it - has predetermined failure built-in. Most boards have no defined system of doing work. They do what they do because they have always done it. Little forethought has been given to what the board really is all about, what its job is and how it should do it. It is no wonder that so many boards struggle with role definition and true purpose in its challenge to lead complex organizations.

We see these recurring, performance-limiting frustrations that prevent coherent governance:

1 .	Lack of clarity of purpose and focus: what is the organization expected to accomplish, for whom? And who decides?
2.	Confused roles: what is the board’s unique role, the function that only the board can perform? How does the board allow staff to do their jobs, but hold them accountable, without constantly reviewing, rehashing and redoing staff plans and processes?
3.	Internal preoccupation: boards that feed off themselves – or off of their staff – accomplish little for their owners or clients.
4.	Misguided perception of what is important: is the board’s job to manage the manager, to be the watchdog? Or is it to establish client/customer outcomes and operational standards of performance?