Dear Readers:
I want to take a moment to assure you that the Imperial Irrigation District and its Board of Directors are in good hands despite what you have seen, heard or witnessed recently about the “disharmony” among members of the Board.
If you’ll allow me, I hope to set your mind at ease by addressing how effective boards operate.
As members of the IID board of directors, our mission is to serve the public good, free of self-interest. We are your public servants who work hard to set the direction for the IID so the district can reliably serve all water and energy customers while protecting our water rights and energy balancing authority.
While each board member is committed to this, it goes without saying that differences of opinion (on any board, anywhere) not only crop up, but are expected to.
It is true that boards function well when directors work as a team as an effective board is comprised of individuals who can leverage their experience to contribute in meaningful ways, ask the right questions, seek relevant information and make the best possible decisions. Decisions are reached by consensus and effort is made to carry everybody along.
Although it is desirable to allow all directors to have a say on all matters and encourage consensus, the board sometimes has to make decisions even in the face of dissent. Insisting on unanimity delays decision-making and ultimately stifles dissent. All directors should be free to vote against a motion if they have cogent reasons for not going along with the popular view without causing any discomfiture on the board.
Here, it is important to distinguish between “collegiality” and “congeniality.” Although spelled similarly, the terms differ drastically. To be clear, your IID board is not seeking any “Miss Congeniality” awards. We are about getting the public’s business done, even if it takes some hard work and difficult decisions.
This requires collegiality. It connotes getting work done in an effective way as a team by identifying opportunities for improvement and solving problems together. Collegiality is often a catalyst for difficult conversations, contention and even conflict to take place.
It’s been said that the number one goal for directors is to engage in constructive conflict — meaning that directors should express their diverse views. When this happens the exchange of ideas helps the board better understand issues surrounding the decision context and synthesize multiple points of view into a decision that is often superior to any individual perspective.
However, while this constructive conflict is encouraged, it should be noted that it has the potential to pitch one director’s views against another’s, and may be taken personally. Ensuring that conflicts remain constructive is the responsibility of individual directors with the board president (myself) playing a key role. I fully accept this responsibility and advise my fellow board members to not take things personally, suggesting each one choose to focus on being constructive in their work as directors.
Directors can have strong views, and those are welcome in the spirit of collegiality. Our board should be comfortable with debate, honest in expressing individual views, prepared to give and receive constructive feedback and be able to move forward even if they do not agree with them. All directors are expected to participate equally to enable the board to derive the full benefit of each director’s skill diversity and experience and demonstrate mutual respect for one another.
You know, I’ve been asked if this “disharmony” is taking away from the business at hand. My direct answer to that is – certainly not. Yes, there may be distractions along the way, and this is one of them, but I believe my fellow board members and I are committed to directing the IID to stay focused on its mission.
As the largest irrigation district in the nation and a top public power provider in the state with an area replete with resources envied by those outside of the Valley, we haven’t been without our bumps and challenges along the way. We have gotten through them. At the end of the day, the work of the district is getting done. The board and management team at IID remain committed to serving the public good. We are keeping the lights on, the water flowing, working with our customers and doing our best to keep everyone safe. And we won’t let you down.
James Hanks is IID Division 3 director and president of the board.
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May 23, 2021 at 02:15PM
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A READER WRITES: Collegiality vs. congeniality on the IID board - Imperial Valley Press
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