Governance as Leadership constitutes a new understanding of purposes and modes; trustees and executives cannot simply implement enlightenment! Diagnostic exercises (instead of tool kits) advance this process.

Here are 3:

• Explore the board's purpose in governing... "board is to organization as _______ is to _________ .
• Explore the board's value in governing. What work requires no board, a board, this board...
• Explore the board's satisfaction from governing... What is our actual work? Valuable work?Meaningful work?

What tensions and contradictions do our answers suggest?

Based on what you have read and your personal experience, what do you see as the connection between an understanding of purpose to serving as an effective steward leader of a board?