Episode 143 – Policy Governance with Monroe Free
In this episode of The Leadership Window, host Dr. Patrick Jinks sits down with TLP Coach ch Monroe Free to unpack the John Carver Policy Governance® model—a disciplined approach to nonprofit board leadership that clarifies roles, centers on outcomes, and frees boards to think strategically and generatively. Monroe draws on decades as a nonprofit CEO and board leader (including Habitat for Humanity–Greenville and Together SC) to translate Carver’s ideas into plain, practical language.
Together, Patrick and Monroe explore Carver’s four policy types—Ends, Executive Limitations, Board–Staff Linkage, and Governance Process—and how they create a simple accountability loop: Did we achieve the Ends, and did we stay within the limits? They also tackle common concerns (e.g., “Won’t this make our board disengaged?”), the “owners” concept in nonprofits, and how a Carver-style approach redirects board energy toward impact, stewardship, and direction rather than operational minutiae.
