ASAE Handbook of Professional Practices in Association Management, 3rd Edition

Governance: An Introduction

Beth Gazley, PhD

Those familiar with boards of directors know that many elements related to a board's structure and its human relationships make governance work. The two chapters that follow this introduction complement one another in their ability to jointly address these characteristics of effective boards: structure and culture. Chapter Fourteen addresses the fundamental design of boards, including its governing documents, and Chapter Fifteen describes the ways in which association boards and staff members build relationships that make governance work.

Structure describes the nature of the board's organization and membership, its formal control mechanisms, and its rules, per bylaws and policies. Boards may devote ...