September 2026 MCCE Board Member Newsletter Article
Strong Organizations Start From Within
Vicki Stute
Executive Director
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Executives
Chamber leaders spend much of our time looking outward. What do our members need? What challenges are facing our business community? Where should we advocate? What role should we play in moving our communities forward?
Those are important questions. But there is another question we may not ask often enough: How much time do we spend strengthening the organization that is expected to do all of that work?
A strong organization doesn’t happen simply because it has talented staff, a committed executive, an engaged board, or a good strategic plan. Organizational strength is built intentionally – from the inside out. It requires attention to leadership, culture, governance, people, systems and strategy.
And perhaps most importantly, it requires a willingness to occasionally turn our attention away from the work of the organization and toward the organization itself.
That can be difficult in a chamber environment. There is always another event to plan, member to visit, issue to address or community initiative that needs our involvement. We become very good at responding to what is immediately in front of us. But being busy and being organizationally healthy aren’t necessarily the same thing.
Strong organizations periodically ask themselves some harder questions. Are we clear about our priorities? Are we spending our time and resources on the things that matter most? Are our internal systems helping us accomplish our work – or making it more difficult? Are we holding onto programs or practices simply because we’ve always done them? And do our people understand where we’re going and the role they play in getting us there?
Governance needs to be part of that conversation.
Good governance is about much more than bylaws, board meetings and filling open seats. A strong board understands its responsibility to the organization. Board members understand the difference between governing and managing. They are willing to ask good questions, engage in strategic conversations and make decisions based on what will best position the organization for the future.
That doesn’t happen automatically when someone joins a board.
Board development needs to be an ongoing process – from thoughtful recruitment and orientation to continuing education, leadership development and succession planning. We should be helping board members understand not only what their responsibilities are, but why good governance matters.
The relationship between the board and executive leadership matters just as much. The strongest organizations I’ve been part of have had clarity about roles, mutual trust and the ability to have candid conversations. The board governs. The executive leads and manages. And both understand that they share responsibility for the long-term health of the organization.
Culture is another piece we shouldn’t overlook. Every organization has one, whether we’ve intentionally created it or not. How do we communicate? How do we handle disagreement? Are people comfortable challenging an idea? Do we hold one another accountable? Can we acknowledge when something isn’t working and make a change?
Those behaviors often tell us more about the health of an organization than anything written in a policy manual or strategic plan.
Organizational development isn’t something we undertake only when there is a problem. Healthy organizations continually evolve. They examine themselves, develop their people, strengthen their governance, simplify where they can and occasionally let go of things that no longer serve them.
As chamber leaders, we ask our organizations to do important work. We ask them to lead, convene, advocate, connect and strengthen our communities.
If we want to continue doing that work well, we also need to make sure we are building organizations strong enough to support it.
Because our ability to strengthen our communities starts with our ability to strengthen our own organizations.