It does not have to be costly to provide training and continuing education for a Board. Although there are various training classes held at fine organizations such as NRECA and others that are worthwhile, and possibly necessary, there are also options within our own cooperative for training and continuing education.
No one should ever say that training needs to be an overnight trip or that it must be given by some professional training organization. Board training can occur at the conclusion of meetings…it can be 15-30 minutes. Training can be led by the General Manager, Human Resources Manager, or one of the many Advisory Board members in an area of expertise. A member could volunteer their time to support these sessions by providing training for the Board in an area of relevancy. These local training sessions would have relatively little to no cost impact to the membership, and still serve the same purpose of increasing the knowledge level of the Board members as those expensive sessions we have been hearing so much of for the last few months.
These days, with the increased scrutiny towards boards from various special interests and other interested parties, many boards are heading into board education out of fear. Unfortunately, it appears that the PEC board misused their own opportunities for training by turning them into opportunities to stay at 5-star hotels and attending concerts. Who knows what good could have happened if they had actually taken advantage of the education opportunities--with proper training perhaps some of the more grievous errors leading up to the lawsuit would have been mitigated or altogether eliminated.
It is true that the board who does not know what it needs to know is indeed walking in a minefield. That is because your board is accountable--whether board members are acting accountably or not, the buck stops with the board. If your board does not understand that, or only vaguely understands it, that minefield is just waiting for someone to make the wrong step. We would all agree that there have been a multitude of missteps in the very recent past.
But fear of that minefield is not the best reason to add training to the board agenda. The best reason is that we may soon find these sessions will become the part of the meetings that folks are still talking about; long after the meeting is over. The discussions that arise will be about the most critical parts of your mission, the most critical parts of what it means to be on a board. In my opinion, a knowledgeable and informed board is a productive and effective board.
About Me
- Fromthisdesk
- Georgetown, Texas, United States
- I am a director in the electric utility industry with over two decades of experience. My career has challenged me to face and solve the issues facing us in the evolving electric generation landscape. My professional experience includes nuclear, fossil, hydro, and wind energy generation projects. I have managed and provided oversight for multi-million dollar capital projects totaling over one billion dollars including multiple Clean Air Act initiatives. I am a U.S. Naval submarine force veteran with over eight years of active duty including service during the Desert Storm initiative. I hold multiple certifications including Project Management Professional (PMP), LEED AP, U.S. Naval Nuclear Engineering Supervisor and Engineering Management from the University of South Carolina. I reside in Georgetown, TX and I am an active supporter of local civic and charitable organizations. The views expressed on this blog are my personal viewpoints and do not reflect the official opinion of the Pedernales Electric Cooperative.