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TAP INTO THE WORLD OF ONLINE GOVERNANCE A BOARD MEMBER’S GUIDE TO TWITTER What do board members, CEOs and VPs have in common? They’re getting social on Twitter – and you should too! With the click of a button, you can follow organizations and discussions that interest you while staying up-to-date on the latest issues affecting health care governance. Join Twitter to share your ideas and expertise with a community of board members and aspiring trustees who want to hear from you! Follow us at @the_gce to get started! We post about governance topics, and share publications, guides and toolkits. Get Started in 3 Easy Steps: 1. Visit twitter.com or download the official Twitter app on your mobile device. 2. Sign up and create your unique username known as a Twitter handle (ours is @the_gce). 3. To start writing, select “Tweet” and write your message in 140 characters or less. Don’t worry; there’s a character count at the bottom right corner to help you. To learn more about Twitter, how to use Twitter and what it has to offer, visit www.thegce.ca/twitter101.
THE GCE INTERVIEW Vision and Insights on Health Care Governance with Rob Notman, Board Member, The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group Q: Why did you choose to become a board member? A: The short answer is that I was asked... Putting that in context, this was back in 2003, and both the process used to recruit, and the number of qualified people interested in becoming a board member, has radically changed since I was approached. Thirteen years ago there was significant stigma surrounding mental health and this impacted how people became involved. The cause of mental health was often seen as the poor cousin to the more prominent needs of illnesses related to children and cancer for example. Over the past 10 to 15 years there have been many contributing factors that have taken the need for improved services for mental health out of the shadows. For example in Ottawa, the impact of creating a new facility, our growth as a center of excellence through The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, and our tireless campaign to break down stigma exemplified by the ‘You Know Who I Am?’ campaign. Mental health has an enormous impact on society and this reality has contributed to a much more sophisticated approach to how we currently recruit future board members. In my particular case, at the time I was approached, my background in human resources was needed on the board as the organization was facing numerous ‘people related’ concerns that all large organizations have to deal with from time to time. On a personal basis the vast majority of my colleagues on the board were drawn to support mental health due to personal experiences that helped compel them to try and make a difference. While this was not something that I had experienced, and hence did not draw me to the board, it turns out that during my time as a trustee my life was impacted in such a way that I was able to see up close and personal the impact that The Royal makes on people struggling with mental health issues. This personal family related journey only served to underline for me the impact that serving on a hospital board brings to our community, encouraging my involvement and determination to serve. Q: What advice would you offer to new board members or individuals considering serving on a board? A: To quote author Stephen Covey’s book The Seven Secrets of Highly Effective People ... “Seek first to understand, then to be understood”. Consider this in context with the amount of information that board members are expected to learn and understand and at the same time contribute out of the gate. Tertiary care hospitals are extremely complex organizations and board members need to understand their role in assisting the organization in the best way possible. Knowing what is expected by good governance as a board member, understanding those things you can and can’t impact, and how to influence those who are best suited to deal with issues directly related to how the organization runs, are a few of the challenges new board members face. We have been fortunate to have a comprehensive new trustee orientation session that lays the ground work for new board members and I find this invaluable for anyone considering joining a hospital board no matter the size of the organization. Lastly build on the experiences of others who preceded you but come prepared to challenge the status quo. Q: What do you do personally to spur creativity and innovations at the board level? A: I try and come prepared to embrace change. I don’t mean that I consider myself a change agent or someone that looks to change for change sake, but as someone who is not afraid to consider what change has to offer and to not stand in its way! Much has been written on change management and the increased pace of change, and it is hard to disagree that continued > <strong>BOARDS</strong>: OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GOVERNANCE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE SEPTEMBER 2016 ISSUE 16 15
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