Meeting Literacy Academy
Diana L. Bacon, MBA, PRP
Governance and Meeting Procedure Consultant, Coach, and Trainer
The governance education system of Governance Optimizer.
Why Meeting Literacy Academy Exists
Meeting Literacy Academy exists to give boards and councils additional governance structure beyond standard orientation — so meetings are conducted properly, decisions are defensible, and authority is exercised with confidence.
What Boards Develop Through MLA
- governance purpose and authority
- roles and responsibilities of the board, officers, and administration
- chair leadership and meeting control
- agenda design and order of business
- motions and decision structure
- debate management and decorum
- voting methods and results
- quorum and notice
- bylaw interpretation and application
- officer authority and responsibility
- elections and appointment procedures
- disciplinary process and corrective action
- appeals and rulings
- conflict handling and meeting behaviour
- board conduct and culture
- policy governance versus administration
- strategic oversight and delegation
- briefing and decision preparation
- records, minutes, and resolutions
Preventive Governance Education
Governance education is most effective when provided before problems become serious.
Meeting Literacy Academy is designed as a preventive education system — developing governance competence early so procedural breakdowns, authority disputes, and decision failures are less likely to occur.
When governance issues are already present, a governance review may be recommended in addition to education to identify and address systemic causes.
When Meeting Literacy Becomes Necessary
MLA is particularly valuable when:
- meetings feel uncertain or inconsistent
- the chair struggles to maintain control
- members interrupt, overstep, or resist process
- votes are unclear or frequently challenged
- procedure is applied unevenly
- authority between the board and management is blurred
- conflict is managed emotionally instead of procedurally
If any of these are familiar, governance education is overdue — not optional.
Restoring Governance Boundaries
Meetings are not conversations.
Authority is not personal.
Meeting Literacy Academy exists to support clear authority and consistent meeting practice as organizations change.
How MLA Supports Governance Reviews
Meeting Literacy Academy provides the structured learning system that follows a governance review, so findings are translated into governance competence rather than becoming a report that sits on a shelf.