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Choosing The Board’s
Duty of Foresight
With Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE

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Today’s Speakers
Josh Palmer
Head of Content
OnBoard
Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE
Executive Advisor
Foresight First LLC

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@dutyofforesight
http://jeffonlinkedin.com
foresightfirst.io

Article: The Next Definition of the Board's Duty of Foresight
by Jeff De Cagna

Choosing The Board’s
Duty of Foresight
JeffDeCagnaFRSAFASAE
ExecutiveAdvisor,ForesightFirstLLC
T20sDAY1178

today is Day 1,178
of The Turbulent
Twenties (T20s)

this session is
a plea to you
and your boards

what will
our successors
say about us?

let’s think about
March 23, 2013

we have a greater
responsibility to those
who will follow us

our successors
are listening

what is the board’s
duty of foresight and
why does it matter?
QUESTION#1

foresight is
an intentional
process of learning
with the future

the duty of foresight: a brief history
thedutyofforesightoriginatedinanarticleinASAE’s
AssociationsNowmagazineinthesummerof2014
inthelast8+years,thedutyofforesighthasbecome
anextpracticeforstrengtheningboardperformance
the“nextdefinition”oftheboard’sdutyofforesight
wasreleasedonT20sDay1,000inSeptember2022

the duty of foresight requires
association boards to stand up for
their successors’ futures through
intentional learning, short-term
sacrifice, and long-term action

the next definition: part I
thenextdefinitionfocusesontheboard’s
dutytostandupforsuccessors’futures
thenextdefinitionraisesthestakesforlearning
tobuild resilience for multiple plausible futures
thenextdefinitiongroundsitsauthorityinour
sharedhumanityratherthanalegalmandate

the next definition: part II
thedutyofforesightdemandsthatboards
reclaim theiragencyfrom orthodoxy
thedutyofforesightasksboardstocaremore
abouttheirsuccessors thanthemselves
thedutyofforesightchallengesboardstomake
sacrificesforthebenefitofpeopletheywillneverknow

the next definition: part III
thedutyofforesighthelpsboardsestablish
theirdecision-makinglegitimacyforthefuture
thedutyofforesightiscoretosettingahigher
standardofstewardship,governing,andforesight[SGF]
thedutyofforesightlivesattheheartofthe
processofbuildingfit-for-purposeassociationboards

the duty of foresight is an
ethical and moral choicethat
fit-for-purpose association
boards must make every day

how does the duty
of foresight amplify the
importance of the duties of
care, loyalty, and obedience?
QUESTION#2

association boards are human
systems responsible for guiding
human systems into the future

the duty of foresight demands
that boards situate fiduciary
responsibility in a larger context

fiduciaryresponsibilityandthedutyofforesight
thedutyofforesightrequiresthedutyofcareto
operateatahigherlevelofanticipationandvigilance
thedutyofforesightrequiresthedutyofloyaltytoask
deeperquestionsaboutself-interestvs.sharedinterest
thedutyofforesightrequiresthedutyofobedience
toelevatethecommitmenttoethicalpurpose

throughout this decade,
every board decision
will have significant
ethical dimensions

throughoutthisdecade,
thedutyofforesight
willbetheboard’s
highestresponsibility

Q&A

how can boards
build a consistent
practice of foresight?
QUESTION#3

thinking about foresight
thedutyofforesightrequiresassociation
boardstostandupfortheirsuccessors’futures
theworkofforesightistheactuallearningwith
thefutureintheformofscanning,scenarios,etc.
thepracticeofforesightiscreatedthroughrepeated
worktobuildperformanceanddeepenimpact

consistent practice of foresight: part I
aconsistentpracticeofforesightrequires
boardstothinkandactbeyondorthodoxy
aconsistentpracticeofforesightrequiresadisciplined
andrepeatableprocessforlearningwiththefuture
aconsistentpracticeofforesightrequiresadiverseand
inclusivenetworkofcontributorstotheworkofforesight

consistent practice of foresight: part II
aconsistentpracticeofforesightrequires
boardstofocustheirattentiononthefuture
aconsistentpracticeofforesightrequires
boardstousedissentasaresourceforlearning
aconsistentpracticeofforesightrequiresa
deepcommitmenttoongoingboardreflection

closing
remarks

30-second poll:
How did we do?

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closing
remarks

myhopeisthatthissession
willbeacatalystforyour
effortstohelpassociation
boardsbecomemore

what will
our successors
say about us?

there are 2,475 days
remaining in The
Turbulent Twenties

our successors will
continue to listen

“For all of its
uncertainty,
we cannot flee
the future.”
--BarbaraJordan

foresightfirst@gmail.com
foresightfirst.io
jeffonlinkedin.com
foresightfirstonlinkedin.com
@dutyofforesight[Twitter]
authory.com/foresightfirst

thank you
for attending!

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