These concepts keep committees on task while protecting them from personalities. 

Concept 10: Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority, with scope of such authority well defined. (Step Into Action 214)

A committee’s responsibility is stated in its mission statement. It’s easy to forget our purpose and carry on the way business is done in the corporate world. SA has different constraints; we learn what they are and continuously remind ourselves of the nature of those constraints, i.e., the upside-down pyramid of service, the value of group conscience, the minority opinion, etc. It is always helpful to reflect a task back to the mission, clarifying if we are still on track or have gone beyond the scope of the mission. I like to continue to restate the mission, understanding it more fully. Too many mission statements, in my opinion, get read once and then put in a drawer and forgotten. 

When tasked with a transmittal from the Board of Trustees, we read it in light of our mission and the scope of authority required. The committee can discuss, clarify, and set boundaries around the authority to complete that assignment. If a committee lacks clarity on its task, it can request clarification from the BoT. If committee members assume authority beyond what was tasked, or if they need authority beyond the scope of the transmittal to complete a task, group discussion is called for, and when necessary, clarity is requested.  

Concept 11: The Trustees should always have the assistance of the best possible committees, staffs, and consultants. Composition, qualifications, induction procedures, rights and duties will always be matters of serious concern. (Step Into Action 114)

Concept 11 reinforces the need for standardized due process. Similar to reading the SA Purpose in every meeting, committees follow a set of procedures, i.e., Application Forms, Robert’s Rules of Order, voting criteria, etc. I began introducing standard procedures when I was the interim Chair of PIC. We are continuing to establish norms for meeting protocols. Procedures and protocols take up time, but they add reliable structure that can mitigate the overbearingness of strong personalities. When the process gets difficult, protocols and structure can serve to keep things moving.