Coaching Highlight: Board Self-Evaluation

David listened as she underscored the importance of the board evaluation process . . . . He was astounded at still another example of how his nonprofit board experience was taking him into territory uncharted by his corporate board.

Insight

Executives are reviewed annually. Employees are reviewed regularly. Yet many boards never review themselves. Self-evaluation is not an exercise in self-indulgence; it is a mechanism of accountability. Boards that ask “How effective are we? How do we improve?” build credibility, sharpen focus, and model humility. Without this discipline, boards risk drifting into complacency and eroding trust with owners, stakeholders, and management.

Reflection

• Has our board ever conducted a structured self-evaluation? If so, what did we learn?
• What areas of board performance are off-limits in our discussions? Should they be?
• Would management say we hold ourselves to the same level of accountability we expect of them?
• Do we resist evaluation because of fear? Or because we underestimate its value?
• What might improve most quickly if we made board evaluation a norm?

Exercises

1. Read and discuss: Find “Rethinking Board Evaluation” on OrgHealth’s website. Have everyone on the board read it and gather to share views using the application questions at the end. Develop an action plan from the conversation.
2. Board survey: Distribute an anonymous questionnaire rating the board’s effectiveness on strategy, oversight, and culture. Discuss the results openly.
3. Peer feedback: Pair directors and ask them to share one strength and one area for growth they observe in each other.
4. External facilitator: Bring in a governance consultant to conduct a professional board evaluation.
5. Mini-review: At the close of each meeting, take five minutes to ask, “What did we do well today as a board? What could we improve?”
6. Do a board excellence assessment: We have an easy-to-use board assessment that is based on the governance excellence model. Learn what your peers are seeing and saying about your board’s effectiveness. Use our debriefing guide to ensure you maximize the value of your review.