Tag Archive for: #incamera

It is a good practice for each board meeting to include an in camera or executive session where board members can meet privately, without the CEO present. In camera is simply Latin for “in chamber” or private. These sessions provide the board the opportunity to have candid discussions without non-board members present.

By Kevin Smith

First, let’s deal with this wonky phrase, “in-camera.” This is one of those holdover Latin phrases that, like many others, are going by the wayside. So why am I still using it instead of simply “executive session”? The simple reason is that some non-profit boards still have an executive committee of the board, a subset of the full board. This is increasingly rare I’m happy to say, but there are a few. So, to call this an executive session can lead some to think of a meeting of that committee. What I’m talking about here with the phrase in camera is a meeting of the full board without non-board members (primarily the CEO) present. We can use both phrases here so long as you know what I’m getting at. (And I’m a sucker for anachronistic phrases in non-English languages.)

Why Hold In Camera/Executive Sessions

In camera sessions provide the opportunity for board members to have a space to speak candidly, to ask questions of each other that they might not be comfortable asking in a meeting with non-board members present. Consultant Christie Saas puts it this way,

When handled correctly, an in-camera session is used for private discussions about legal matters (fraud), hiring/firing of employees that report directly to the board, annual evaluation of employees that report directly to the board, and the annual audit.

When handled incorrectly, an in-camera session is used to gossip, socialize, or to intentionally exclude non-board members from being part of meeting procedures.

I agree with these comments, but would take this a bit further and suggest that these sessions are valuable beyond discussion of problems, like fraud or hiring/firing. They can be helpful places where are director can say that they aren’t comfortable with something, or if they have sensitive questions to ask, or simply to get a candid “temperature check” of how the full board is feeling about a topic.

What Happens if This is Rare

Let’s be clear – if the board only uses in camera sessions very rarely, or only for the difficult topics that Christie Saas suggests above, then the CEO is going to get the jitters as soon as its called. In these circumstances the session is going to appear to be a giant red-flag to the CEO. In our experience, it’s not uncommon for other senior leaders of the credit union to come and go from board meetings depending on the needs. They generally don’t see that as unusual. But on the other hand, we see CEOs who are involved with every minute of every board discussion. In many ways that makes sense given the complexity of our industry. So when the board calls an in camera session the hairs on the back of the CEO’s neck stand up in warning of trouble ahead. That’s not a healthy scenario, and the sessions shouldn’t always be about difficult or negative topics.

Some Guidelines to Consider

• Add an in-camera session to every board meeting agenda. It can be short or uneventful. Or it may delve into significant topics. This regularity makes this an expectation that everyone gets comfortable with. It may also draw out more candid commentary from quieter board members.
• To start the session, a director makes a motion that the board must pass to do so.
• Take minutes in the session including deliberations and reasoning behind motions and votes. But these minutes are not included in the general board meeting minutes.
• The general topic of the in-camera session should be in the board minutes; however, the content specifics are confidential.
• The board can approve the in-camera minutes at the next open board meeting, but only by those who attended the sessions.

This approach will provide that transparency expected of a not-for-profit board while maintaining the confidentiality needed for the sessions.

And do yourselves a favor and give the CEO a heads up that you are going to take on this process and explain why. That way when it shows up on the agenda, they don’t immediately scream, “Are you firing me?!”