Governance culture is the heartbeat of how a board governs...
Every board has a culture. The question is whether it lifts up your mission — or quietly works against it. Culture doesn’t live in your bylaws or board policies. It shows up in the pauses before people speak, in how dissent is handled, and in whether board members leave meetings feeling trusted or tested.
Governance culture is the heartbeat of how a board governs when no one is watching. It’s the tone, habits, and relational patterns that shape decision-making far more than any formal procedure ever could. In faith-based organizations, governance culture is where mission and method meet — the practical expression of shared values like humility, community, and discernment.
Why It Matters
A healthy governance culture makes wise governance possible. Boards grounded in trust and mutual respect can disagree without dividing. They hold leaders accountable while still offering grace. They make complex decisions with both courage and compassion.
One faith-based health and human services board offers a clear example. Facing a major budget shortfall, some members pushed for deep cuts to programs serving vulnerable families. Others argued the organization should protect those programs at all costs. Instead of splitting into camps, the board paused. They took time for reflection and prayer, listened deeply, and invited staff input. In the end, they chose a path that preserved essential services and strengthened partnerships to share costs — a solution born not from debate, but from discernment. Their culture of trust and shared purpose turned a potential crisis into a reaffirmation of mission.
How Culture Develops
Culture isn’t something a board decides to have; it’s something a board becomes. It grows from patterns of interaction — how questions are asked, how the CEO is supported, how the chair handles tension, and how gratitude is expressed.
Much like spiritual formation, governance culture develops through consistent practice, not proclamation. When boards approach each other with humility, curiosity, and a readiness to listen, they are modeling the same communal discernment that undergirds Anabaptist faith traditions. Over time, those patterns create an atmosphere where purpose, not personality, leads the way.
Cultivating a Healthy Governance Culture
A strong governance culture doesn’t appear by accident. It requires intention and care. Boards can:
- Reflect regularly on how faithfully they are living their stated values. Ask, “Do our behaviors reflect our mission?”
- Model trust and transparency. When the chair and CEO share openly, others follow.
- Make time for discernment. A brief pause for prayer or silence before major decisions can re-center discussion on purpose rather than preference.
- Welcome constructive disagreement. Diverse viewpoints, respectfully shared, strengthen collective wisdom.
- Conduct an annual ‘culture check.’ Include questions about respect, inclusion, and alignment with mission in your board self-assessment.
A Living Expression of Faith
A board’s governance culture is, in many ways, its living testimony. It tells its constituency and its own members whether the organization’s values are simply printed in a mission statement or actually practiced in the boardroom.
When a board’s culture reflects its faith and purpose, governance becomes more than oversight. It becomes stewardship — a way of serving together, guided by trust, respect, and the quiet conviction that how we govern is as important as what we decide.
Boardroom Reflection Questions
- When we make difficult decisions, do we approach them with a spirit of discernment or debate?
- How well does our board model the values our organization claims to hold?
- What habits — spoken or unspoken — shape how we listen, question, and disagree?
- How might we strengthen trust, respect, and accountability among ourselves this year?
Cited:
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (Oct. 18 version) https://chat.openai.com/chat