Hi, I'm Your Board
Outpost's Board of Directors will use this blog to discuss issues the board is exploring as it envisions Outpost's future. Can't make it to a meeting? Check here frequently to read what the Board is up to.
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For better or for worse, asking “What do you do?” is a socially acceptable way for us to get to know people and figure out pecking orders. The answers we get allow us to categorize people and get a snapshot of what they’re like.
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Now that the annual Outpost Board election is behind us, the Board will resume its day-to-day work of fiduciary oversight and strategic planning. One of the first things that new directors come to realize is how deliberative the work is. This is by design. Policy Governance, the process by which the Board monitors and guides the organization, is structured to promote gradual and incremental progress.
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Over the last few years, I’ve become intensely curious about the rapid economic, social, and cultural changes that are occurring in our country. In this post, I want to relate these changes to how cooperatives fit into our lives. I want to discuss cooperatives not as vehicles for deliverables, but as centers of community.
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This post is a reflection on how Outpost directors start every board meeting. It was inspired by some recent training I provided to the Board about our fiduciary duty to the organization.
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Cooperatives are democratic organizations that are controlled by their owners. The fact that owners participate in electing their board to make decisions about the policies and direction for the co-op, is one of the fundamental features that distinguishes cooperatives from other for-profit organizations. It follows then, that for Outpost to function properly, its owners need to be both informed and active.
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One of the things that the board is always trying to do is to figure out what is on the minds of owners. Sometimes we inquire about the more philosophical aspects of democracy and community. Sometimes we just want to know what you buy.
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We tend to think of the holidays as something to get through before we start making better food choices, but what if we used the holidays to reinforce a way to make better choices? For me, I’ve found it helpful get into a good routine, and to plan ahead. Because life seems to move so fast, we can get caught up being slaves to convenience and price. With even the most minimal efforts at planning, however, you can eat well on a tight budget.
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Running for a seat on the Outpost Board of Directors could satisfy your urge to run for public office. It’s true! It’s a real election – one that allows you to make a real difference in your community. But unlike running for a position in government, there aren’t a lot of downsides. You won’t risk your reputation, go broke, wear out the soles of your shoes, or lose your faith in humanity.
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We waste millions of tons of food in America. 65 million tons in fact, or if you prefer, 133 billion pounds, every year. This means that every American wastes almost 1 pound of food every day.
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If it’s one thing that we take seriously as members of the Outpost Board of Directors, it’s that we are required to be focused on strategic issues – big picture stuff, as opposed to day-to-day operational issues. In other words, we’re supposed to focus on things like whether to add a new store, and not on micromanaging what types of products to carry on our shelves.
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Each year, Outpost owners have the opportunity to vote for three candidates to serve on the Outpost Board of Directors for a three year term. Outpost board members help to steer the direction of the co-op, representing the interest of all Outpost owners (i.e. you!).
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If you visited any of our Outpost locations on Sunday, October 15, you may have engaged with a board member during our second monthly Co-op Conversations event. Our October topic was “Dynamic Local Food Systems.” And our goal was to open up the conversation about what constitutes a truly effective food system and how owners see Outpost interacting and being a part of that system.
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The next few years will prove to be an important time for Outpost. Our local grocery dynamic is changing and the whole industry is in a moment of rapid change and increased competition. In order for Outpost to continue to provide great local food, community building, financial stability and environmental stewardship we need the next generation of leaders to step up.
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When we think about the word 'diversity', we usually apply it to groups of people. When a diverse group of people get together to create art, science, policies, products or laws, their outcome, is generally fresher and richer. Why? Because when we work with people who are not like us, we may think hard about our own ideas before offering them up to the team. Our ideas are tested under many lenses. The strong ideas/viewpoints/thoughts endure and the weaker do not. Through diversity, we can think out of the box and produce resilient ideas or products.
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Can you imagine a day when you no longer go into a grocery store, but instead, your groceries come to you, delivered by a drone? Do you ever wish for such a day or do you dread it? These are some of the questions that were posed at the Consumer Cooperative Management Association conference (CCMA) in Minneapolis by the keynote speaker Michael Sansolo. Sansolo, an expert in the retail food industry, opened with the topic: “Surviving the Brave New World of Retail."
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Every year a handful of board members get the opportunity to attend the annual meeting of the Consumer Cooperative Management Association, a trade association of consumer cooperatives. It serves as a combination conference and trade show where industry trends are explored, and best practices are highlighted and exchanged.
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As an engaged owner of Outpost Co-op, it is important that you attend this year’s annual meeting on Sunday March 19, 2017 at the Milwaukee Public Museum. Mark your calendars! Here are six reasons why you won’t want to miss the Annual Meeting...
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On January 20th, Outpost owners submitted applications for board candidacy. Your board of directors has reviewed the nominations and selected five candidates to go on the ballot this year. Voting will begin on March 20th after the Annual Meeting and we have fifteen days to elect three new board members, until April 3rd. This election is a critical aspect of our cooperative and a cornerstone responsibility of ownership.
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As we enter into campaign season for board members, it’s a good time to think – am I interested in serving my cooperative? Do I have a skill set that would complement the current board? If you do, consider this an invitation to throw your hat into the ring.
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It’s election time. If you’re an Outpost owner, now may be a good time to consider becoming a Board member. Here’s a great local opportunity to help forward the cooperative principles of a 46 year-old $48 million annual food cooperative.
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