Behind the Scenes at the DCC
Tracy and I sat down for a Zoom chat in June to talk about her current role for the Dharma Centre. For years I’ve been aware that Tracy has been volunteering huge chunks of time to assist the Dharma Centre’s board and staff — she has a great background in working with groups and individuals and a solid meditation practice as well. When Tracy and I were on the board together in the mid 20s (the 4-5 years after Rinpoche died) her perspective and experience was constantly of great value. Here’s the results of our talk.
TG: Tracy, you have been working behind the scenes for 5 years. What do you do for the DCC?
TS: My formal title is Human Resources Managerial Consultant. It is a volunteer position and my services are for board members, resident teachers, volunteers and our two wonderful staff people.
The role has changed over time. When I started in 2016 it was primarily a role supporting specific board transition and management of HR-related issues. I was asked to support the board in addressing those issues with my knowledge in human resources and Board/governance experience which included past experience as former DCC Board/Chair member. Recognizing the need for a specialized committee to support personnel, we formed the Human Resources Committee (HRC). Working together with the HRC, workplace policies were developed to ensure a wholesome and safe environment for everyone, including people who are retreating on property, staff, resident teachers, visiting teachers, volunteers, the Board – the whole DCC gamut.
Enhancing the Governance at the DCC has also been a focus for the HRC including developing Terms of Reference for all the various Committees of the organization.
In Feb. 2020, my role evolved to include support for the staff as their liaison with the board, supervisors and the resident teachers.
TG: By evolved, what does that mean? Are you appointed by the board?
TS: The Board passed a resolution approving the HR Managerial Consultant volunteer position. The HRC understood the importance of formalizing HR and Governance processes through basic policy that all organizations need, no matter how large or small. Without these processes in place, you don’t know you need them until you do. Until something unfortunate happens like an accident on property that could have been prevented, for instance with health and safety training. The DCC has been moving in this direction for sometime. I’m sure that there are past Board members reading this article right now, who are thinking to themselves, “What’s she talking about?? My board developed Terms of Reference, etc…”
Together with the President, we worked on drafting the DCC’s first Employee Handbook. With help from the HRC we have developed workplace safety policies, anti-harassment and anti-violence policies, and terms of reference for all the Committees.
TG: Has there been something in the last couple of years that has arisen when it was a relief to say, “isn't it a good thing we had this in place”?
TS: The governance committee. It has always been apparent that just because very well-meaning Members stand for the Board doesn’t mean that they come on to the Board knowing much about governance structures (constitution, bylaws, Roberts rules). The Governance Committee was formed in part, to help build capacity of newer board members to learn about existing governance structures and to this end has crafted a governance workshop orientation. We hope this will be one of the legacies for future boards. The aim is to help novice and experienced Board members better understand their leadership role at the DCC. The result, an empowered Board of Directors that is better prepared as a team of leaders to make effective decisions with increased transparency for all and clear lines of communication.
TG: It would be naive of the Dharma centre to think that because we’re a Dharma community we don’t need processes like these.
TS: Yes. We are very fortunate, thanks to the hard work of the earlier Boards and those who came later, that the DCC has Charitable Status. These processes and policies are important to maintain this benefit and also to foster an organizational culture that is more open and more accountable to its members. We need the ‘form’ so that it’s there when we really need it.
TG: It's a grownup thing for the DCC to have done.
TS: Yes. It’s a bit of a maturation process. There is still a long way to go. Next, is the need to address the issues of equity, diversity and inclusion and to ensure that the DC is doing more to open its doors including finding ways to actively respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.
TG: Something that came through for me at the members meeting May 31 was the intention of transparency – a DCC board not being this little group that met once a month and did these magical or weird things that no one ever heard about – and that the board was there representing and communicating with the community.
TS: I see my role as working to support the organization to level the playing field, making the DCC a more open organization. It’s a big project for a small organization. In order to get it right it will take ongoing commitment and leadership from this Board and successive boards. However we think of the DCC, as a Buddhist organization or an organization founded on universalist principles, it’s an organization with many responsibilities and commitments to members, teachers, practitioners, guests, government, and others. It has to have its feet, head and heart in both the spiritual domain and in the domain of the organization, not separate from one another but completely inter-dependent. The Board of Directors and staff understand this and are working compassionately to manifest this reality.