The common complaint by CEOs and chairs is my board doesn’t do enough. The problem is always with the board and not the organization or so it seems. Here are five areas where I observe consistent room for improvement:
- Wrong People. Many board members are selected because they are the friend of the CEO, the chair or another member of the board. Little consideration seems to be given whether the individual possesses the skills, talents, experience, talent or contacts that are needed.
- No Orientation. Often people don’t know the company or the industry and there is no orientation process. Even if someone comes from within your industry your company isn’t exactly the same as others. And while you appreciate their perspective, a perspective informed by understanding your company will be more valuable.
- Roles & Responsibilities have not been established. Plain and simple the board members don’t know what is expected of them. Often this leads to people doing nothing!
- Poor Communication. If the only time the board members hear from the CEO or chair is at meetings how can they be proactive in between meetings?
- Poor Meeting Management. Board meeting discussions are generally expected to be strategic in nature. If meetings are comprised of the reading of reports in the board package or discussion about issues the staff is able to handle, board members will feel their time is being wasted and tune out or worse not show up.
Over the next several posts I will discuss how to avoid these problems. What do you see contributing to boards under-performing?
Susan C. Hammond consults with CEOs of small to mid-size companies and nonprofit organizations on the formation and facilitation of advisory boards, ways to enhance organizational financial intelligence, and governance. She previously served as member of the senior management team of technology start-ups, professional service firms, and nonprofit organizations. Susan is the author of the Advisory Board Kit: A Comprehensive Guide to Establishing an Advisory Board.
