Efforts to reach out to the community were not sustained. The store was like a mausoleum, shiny and orderly and perfectly faced, but with no end caps, no sense of abundance. We couldn't afford to advertise or even put up a sign. In theory Mississippi Market's board operated by policy governance, but in reality the board failed to set policies or to monitor performance in relation to policies. Some board members actively disagreed with policy governance and its requirement that the board speak with one voice.
People panic and pull the reins in.
It really had to do with distrust of the manager. The current board president agrees, but adds that certain board members by their behavior gave the manager reason to distrust the board. As the expansion hit one roadblock after another, the board got worn down. Quorums for meetings were hard to find. One director quit over lack of confidence in the manager.