Things you just don't get

[fredrikkm]

Not to get all CE (although it is pretty relevant for the thread, because I don't get it), but the difficulties of lay offs and the unions (the wages for unskilled labour in the industrial sector is insanely high) in particular has caused especially the industrial sector to it's knees in Norway.

 

[lasbar]



Not to get all CE (although it is pretty relevant for the thread, because I don't get it), but the difficulties of lay offs and the unions (the wages for unskilled labour in the industrial sector is insanely high) in particular has caused especially the industrial sector to it's knees in Norway.

Tell me one country in Western Europe not in that position?

Even Poland is not as competitive as it used to be..

Norway has its own trade barrier/protection and oil..

Not worried for them..

 

[fredrikkm]

Yeah, we are lucky to have the oil...

 

[lasbar]



Yeah, we are lucky to have the oil...

The beer will be cheaper there if you didn't have any..

 

[Liam O]

The beer will be cheaper there if you didn't have any..

Go to Estonia. Its all Swedes on vacation anyway, and everyone knows the swine-folk are better partiers than the Weegians.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



"Large part of the HR department" is not this though.
I would also be surprised if they actually had to approve it vs. getting buy in from them. A smart CEO does not make major decisions without buy in from his board, or at least his officers, but I've yet to come across a corporate structure where a CEO could not officially hire and fire whoever he/she damned well pleased. That's not a way to keep your job for long but that's the actual structure I've always seen. I'm sure there are probably boards as you described but I can say I have no little experience in this and that I've never come across the situation where it's not just good politics vs. actual structure. IDK...maybe my experience is too limited and that's how it works at bigger companies? Still not sure as I've also read endless stuff on "role of the board" type stuff and everything I've read has the CEO as the sole position the board actually hires and fires. /shrug
As to the rest of what I said above..wtf? Dood is running a company that employs a bunch of useless people and the board needs to give him direction to rectify that situation? Not a good executive, IMO.

I am curious of the role of many boards. All of the people on my company's board have amazing credentials, but I just don't see how people who meet 10 times a year can have an accurate view of the company's operations, risks, or opportunities at all. It seems like a gentleman's club, but then again I am a complete outsider to what the meetings arre like.

 

[Piobaire]



I am curious of the role of many boards. All of the people on my company's board have amazing credentials, but I just don't see how people who meet 10 times a year can have an accurate view of the company's operations, risks, or opportunities at all. It seems like a gentleman's club, but then again I am a complete outsider to what the meetings arre like.

I can only give first hand experience from my little world. As a board member for a few non-profits I receive(d) monthly financials for my review prior to board meetings. At board meetings going over the financials is/was a major event with all board members being able to ask questions. Those questions vary from embarrassingly transparent attempts to appear intelligent (I notice office supplies was $2.95 over budget..please explain) to very insightful and pertinent (I see a 25% jump in purchased services this month vs. the last six months...is your AP person holding invoices? Is this a result of cash positions? Did you have something special come up you needed to contract for outside help?).

Reports are given by other key staff that will vary by what business the non-profit is in, i.e. status of staffing is important for large service oriented non-profits wheres fund raising efforts and disbursements would be more important to smaller, "collection" type organizations, i.e. The Heart and Stroke Associaton.

There is usually a board retreat, of varying length, once a year. A weekend one might be held in a resort and be an intensive strategic planning retreat held every few years. An afternoon one might be to review the strategic plan and update it or planning a new program.

I've seen organizations where the board is useless and ill-informed. That is usually because the CEO/ED hand picks the board to be that way. Those places end up in local or national media depending on their size and the egregiousness of their transgressions. We've all seen exposes on non-profits that are just fund raising entities and the CEO is making 400k on revenues of $1 million. That's what happens when the board is weak.

These days board membership has much larger risks. Board members are being held accountable for their legal obligations in providing oversight and helping shape policy and governance issues.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



These days board membership has much larger risks. Board members are being held accountable for their legal obligations in providing oversight and helping shape policy and governance issues.

Very interesting. As to this point above, my company is rather high profile, we spend an insane amount of money on D&O insurance, over $300 million.

 

[Piobaire]

These days board membership has much larger risks. Board members are being held accountable for their legal obligations in providing oversight and helping shape policy and governance issues.

Very interesting. As to this point above, my company is rather high profile, we spend an insane amount of money on D&O insurance, over $300 million.

When people tell me they are being recruited to a board I tell them the first thing to do is to ask for a copy of the D&O insurance.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

For serious. That ****'s important!

 

[Thomas]



(...)Women (on average) do not drive better with age. They get worse and worse, like American Pie movies, The Rolling Stones, and Chelsea Handler's skin (by the minute).  

I just wanted to give this statement some love.

BTW, Rolling Stones: why?

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Modern is Stones is ok. Nothing like back in the day though.

 

[JayJay]



These days board membership has much larger risks. Board members are being held accountable for their legal obligations in providing oversight and helping shape policy and governance issues.

Quoted for truth. I serve on a couple and chair one, the risks are enormous. Any board member who doesn't take board membership seriously doesn't belong on it.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I want to be on a board. How do I do that? Can I do it as a volunteer?

 

[imatlas]



I want to be on a board. How do I do that? Can I do it as a volunteer?

Do you mean are the board members of non-profits paid or volunteers? Usually it's an unpaid, volunteer position. Can you become one by volunteering for an organization? Possibly, yes, but they are often recruited from outside of the organization because of specific skills or qualifications. There are a number of organizations that focus on creating links between non-profits and potential board members, iIn NY, you could reach out to Board Assist (http://www.boardassist.org/).