Six key words – Purpose, Policy, Process, Portfolio, People, and Perspective – form a framework for effective endowment stewardship. As trustees, investment committee members, and senior management deal with the effects of the Coronavirus and the related economic and market dislocations, working together productively and sensitively becomes extremely important, although extremely difficult to execute.
In our recent publication, Principles of Investment Stewardship for Non-Profit Organizations, we wrote that “Oversight of an endowment brings a wide range of topics before the members of an investment committee.” We meant that to include everything from setting asset allocation policy, hiring advisors, and navigating market setbacks, but we did not envision anything like present conditions. Nonetheless, what remains always true, is that good stewardship is really about people and the interpersonal relationships among them.
At a time when institutional leaders need to be gathering virtually and making themselves available for interim meetings and conference calls, we wanted to share a video from Professor Steven Rogelberg. Rogelberg, Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte, and best-selling author of The Surprising Science of Meetings, will be the keynote speaker at Commonfund Institute’s Investment Stewardship Academy. The Academy will take place at the Yale School of Management from June 22 to June 26th. Professor Rogelberg will present his findings and then lead a workshop to help participants optimize their investment committee meetings.
In this video, he gives 10 Quick Tips to Make Remote Meetings Work. We hope you find it helpful. View it here: https://youtu.be/gkoCNJVrd04
Please don’t hesitate to contact Commonfund Institute if we can provide any guidance as you steward investment capital through this tumultuous time.