Reducing Reports
One of the things I hear from clients is the wish that there were fewer things to do, fewer reports to read, fewer risks to worry about and mitigate against…
I’ve hopefully given you some ideas on how to simplify and streamline your priorities as you manage your charity – while still ensuring that you are compliant and well governed in my writing and training webinars.
This post is going to concentrate on options for reducing the number of reports that have to come to the full body – whether that is Trustees, or Area Meeting or Local Meeting or whatever other grouping you have.
Why Have Reports?
Reports are only useful if
- they have a purpose,
- are read,
- clearly written & understood,
- and there is clear requirement for this to be read by this group of people,
- plus have a clear action or follow up stated,
- worth the calories you’re asking people to use in reading.
If a report doesn’t do those things perhaps
- it’s an inspirational idea or paper to share,
- or a report for a sub group who give a summary or notify the whole group of their decision
- or there is some other use
- or the report isn’t necessary.
Can you take time to assess the clarity and relevance of items within the standing agenda or list of reports that you expect?
Why Not Have Reports?
When there's nothing to report...
One of the trends I have found worrying is the lack of trust in sub-groups or committees. If we have appointed someone, or a group of people to do something and bring their discerned actions, or research findings etc. we should trust that they’ve done this to the best of their ability.
While, of course, if they need authority to do something, or a decision from the whole body that has to come back and a report explaining this is necessary.
On the other hand if there hasn’t been any progress for known reasons, and there isn’t anything required from the whole body do you need a full report?
Quaker clerking includes draft minutes where, especially if you’re concerned about losing sight of an item, you can state, ‘this matter is still in progress’.
Adding a line or two if necessary as either history or update, as part of the draft minutes or consent agenda. Saving the full report until there is something to say.
Just because it's due...
This isn’t a plea to get rid of annual reports! But rather if you ‘always’ hear from xxxx every xxxx consider if that is necessary.
Consider
- if the pattern of working has changed,
- if the level of tasks or projects has changed,
- if the areas or levels of responsibility has changed,
- if information is disseminated or shared in a different way. While being careful not to presume people are going to read something just because it’s been added to a shared folder!
If you find yourself reading a report and knowing what it is likely to say, that’s a good time to review.
Does it have to be written?
One of the best reports I’ve seen this year was one page. There was a collage of a half dozen candid photos, with a selection of quotes from the people in the photos.
The quotes gave a vibrant sense of the activities and experiences shown above.
The receipts had already been sent in showing how the money budgeted had been spent, and so would be covered under financial reporting on that fund.
Final Thoughts
We’re not commenting on length of report here. Too often a plea for ‘concise’ or a specific maximum length leads to missing information, appendices or other ways of cramming more information into the allowed length.
We’ll cover more of this next year!
We’ve tried to cover a range of topics focusing on Trustees with this A-Z series. If you’ve got any specific questions let us know. We’re already gathering topics for next year’s series focusing on Communications.
Wendrie Heywood
MBS Founder
