Background and Context
This project began with a phone call from a Project Manager. She had just returned from a board meeting, where relationships with the board had deteriorated to such an extent that it was not working effectively. Individual agendas were hindering strategic thinking, open discussions were difficult and this was getting in the way of sound decision making.

The Phoenix Approach
A series of meetings were held with the manager and board members, drawing out information about what was hampering success and how people would prefer to be working. This diagnostic work showed that a range of issues were causing conflict, including
- the role of the board and its responsibilities in relation to management responsibility were unclear
- some agency and community representatives on the board were unsure of their role and how they could best contribute
- the board as a whole had lost sight of the ‘bigger picture’ and what they were hoping to achieve.

Following the diagnostic work, the consultant worked at three levels:

with individual board members, the chair and the project manager
with pairings where there was particular conflict
and with the board as a whole

to help them work through their difficulties and regain a sense of purpose.

Outcomes
Outcomes included:

• clarity of role and responsibility was achieved with board members being better able to make their contribution
•  
  meetings of the board were more structured, shorter and more productive
• relationships have been transformed, with staff and board members working more collaboratively
• “it did what we hoped and much more”
• “the most difficult and the most productive piece of work we’ve ever been through”