The House of Governance: Strengthening Board Leadership Through Seven Core Domains

Title: The House of Governance: Strengthening Board Leadership Through Seven Core Domains Instructor: Jim Thompson, CAE, IOM Effective governance rarely breaks because leaders lack commitment. It breaks because organizations lack a shared framework for understanding how governance actually works. This session introduces the House of Governance, a practical model built around seven core domains that shape how boards make decisions, partner with executive leadership, and steward mission and strategy. Participants will explore the most common governance breakdowns: from boards drifting into operations to unclear decision authority and weak leadership continuity. And they will learn how to diagnose and strengthen their organization’s governance practices. Through guided teaching, real-world examples and interactive discussion, attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of where governance most often succeeds or fails and how to strengthen board leadership in ways that improve strategy, accountability and organizational impact. The session concludes with audience Q&A and a short knowledge check required for CAE credit. Learning Objectives After the session, participants will be able to: Identify the seven core domains of the House of Governance and explain how each contributes to effective board leadership. Differentiate between strategic governance responsibilities and operational management roles within an association. Recognize common governance failure points and apply practical approaches to strengthen board-executive partnership, decision authority and leadership continuity.