BOARDS

It is common for a committee (likely with responsibility for
the board’s governance practices) to review the full results
and provide a summary to the board. It is important that any
survey offers multiple opportunities for directors to provide
open-ended comments to explain their answers or provide
additional insights. In a well-functioning board, this narrative
is where the areas for attention are more likely to be surfaced,
as many of the standard questions will prompt strong
affirmation of current practices.
HOW EFFECTIVE
IS YOUR BOARD?
FIND OUT FOR
YOURSELF
The format of the report to the board should also be
carefully considered. A written summary of responses with
an appropriate action plan may work for many situations.
For others, it might be better to select a few of the detailed
comments to focus discussion on specific ideas.
Meeting Performance
A short survey at each meeting that asks board members to
identify what went well and what didn’t can help pinpoint
process or cultural challenges that can be addressed by the
chair, the governance committee, or management. Process
challenges could include late material or technology impediments
like conference calls with poor sound quality. Cultural
challenges might include directors coming under-prepared,
too many slide presentations, or directors not respecting the
chair’s role. Recurring themes could be brought forward for
discussion with the governance committee or the full board.
Director Performance
The first step in director assessment is often individual selfassessment.
Through a series of questions, board members
can be asked to assess their own strengths and areas for
development in relation to their role on the board. This
information can be used to identify topics for education
sessions or opportunities for peer mentoring or coaching.
Governance advisors frequently advocate for peer
assessment in which every board member assesses the
contributions of every other board member. Many directors
find this an uncomfortable expectation but it is increasingly
becoming the benchmark standard. An example of an
individual board member self-assessment tool can be found
here on the GCE website.
Boards that self-assess can better identify
the areas in which they are performing well
as a board, areas for improvement and
areas of concern.
The Governance Centre of Excellence
(GCE) offers a complimentary Board-Self
Assessment Tool, an instrument for board
learning, that can improve board effectiveness
and, in turn, enhance organizational
performance. It supports governance
improvement on a voluntary basis and can
help strengthen commitment to effective
governance practices.
FALL ASSESSMENT SESSION NOW OPEN
For more information and to get started visit
www.thegce.ca/selfassessment
Discussions
Some boards meet without management after each meeting
is concluded to discuss the board’s performance at that
meeting. This gives an opportunity to determine areas for
improvement before they grow into a challenge. The chair
can then work with management to improve process or with
necessary parties to address behaviours.
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BOARDS: OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GOVERNANCE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE SEPTEMBER 2016 ISSUE 16 18