A Board and Executive on the Same Page
The Board Blueprint™ is the practical governance and alignment session that helps boards govern at the right altitude so the CEO and team can execute.
Where Strategy Meets Governance
The OA Method™ aligns direction and priorities for the board of directors. Successful execution depends on a board that can govern alongside that direction. Many destination organizations face a common, well-intentioned challenge. Boards drift into operations. Clarity on the board’s role gets lost. Alignment with leadership thins as complexity grows.
The Board Blueprint™ addresses that directly. A review of existing governance documents, The Board Altitude board member self-assessment, and a working session give the board a practical framework for operating at the right level, focused on governance, strategy, and accountability while fully empowering the CEO and team to execute.
Brett Oetting facilitates the session. He teaches the same framework in the Destinations International CDME Leadership course and has delivered it in boardrooms around the country. The session equips board members with the language and structure to perform at a high level, plus operating disciplines such as strategic agenda design and performance oversight.
The result is a confident, high-functioning board that reinforces the strategy rather than competing with it. The Board Blueprint™ pairs best with an organization’s annual new board member orientation and organizational overview..
What's Included
Pre-Workshop Review and Analysis. The customized engagement begins 30 days before the workshop. OA reviews the current board matrix, positions, and terms. Bylaws, policies, and committee structure. The board development process. The organizational rules of procedure. and launches The Board Altitude self-assessment. The review draws from Destinations International DMAP operational standards, the National Council of Nonprofits, and industry DMO best practices.
The Two-Hour Board Workshop. Brett Oetting facilitates a focused, engaging session with the board of directors. The workshop establishes clarity around roles and responsibilities, strengthens alignment between governance and leadership, and introduces practical operating disciplines, including strategic agenda design, performance oversight, and effective board dynamics.
Final Report with Findings and Recommendations. The customized assessment produces a written report covering board readiness to scale growth, decide cleanly, and operate with clarity, accountability, and alignment. Findings inform the workshop and become the board’s reference document for governance practice going forward.
Board Orientation Template Assistance and Development. OA assists with the development of a board orientation template the organization can use with every incoming director. The Blueprint pairs best with the destination’s annual new board member orientation and organizational overview.
Built Alongside the OA Method™
The OA Method™ aligns direction and priorities for the organization. The Board Blueprint™ aligns the board to govern alongside that direction. Most engagements pair them. Some engagements pair the Blueprint with the OA Scorecard™ first when the destination needs an evidence-based read on overall governance maturity before the workshop.
Organizational Strategic Plan + Board Blueprint™
VisitColumbusGA
The Situation
After 29 years, Columbus found themselves with a new tourism leader equipped with a fresh CDME credential, the support of the staff and community and a desire to create a best practice organization.
What We Did
Using the OA Method™ strategic planning process, OA asked tough questions, got the board and staff out of their comfort zone and set the stage for future success. Additionally, OA conducted a board best practices session focused on the separation of staff and board and how the board can be supportive to the team.
The Outcome
A new multi-year strategic plan that strategically placed VisitColumbusGA as a leader in the community and a table setter for strategic community discussions and a Board of Directors updating their bylaws and committee structure.
Real Questions
How long does the engagement take?
The customized engagement begins 30 days before the actual board workshop. During those 30 days, OA reviews the board materials and prepares the workshop and the report. The workshop itself is two hours. The final report and orientation template assistance follow.
Who attends the workshop?
The board of directors. The CEO and senior leadership team typically participate as well, since the work is about alignment between governance and execution.
How does the Board Blueprint™ pair with strategic planning?
The OA Method™ aligns direction and priorities for the organization. The Board Blueprint™ aligns the board to govern alongside that direction. Most engagements pair them. The Blueprint also pairs naturally with an organization’s annual new board member orientation and organizational overview.
What is included in the customized assessment?
A review of the current board matrix, positions and terms, bylaws, policies, committee structure, board development process, and organizational rules of procedure. Findings inform the workshop and become part of the final report and recommendations the board carries forward.
Related: OA Method™ Strategic Planning · OA Scorecard™ · DMO+ Program
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