board practices profile™

This Profile has 12 questions designed to help you begin a board self evaluation. Please click the statement that most closely describes your board’s current behaviour. [Please interpret “CEO” to be the top paid position in your organization, regardless of title (e.g., Executive Director, General Manager, etc.)]

When you have completed this Board Practices profile, fill in your basic information and we will provide you with a brief report indicating areas in which your board could benefit from further development, and suggestions to help you move forward.

“Please allow up to a week for the results, as the commentary is prepared by a real consultant, not computer-generated.”

Board Accountability *

The board has never discussed to whom it is accountable, or when we’ve discussed it, we can’t agree.
Some board members believe they are accountable only to those who elected or appointed them (e.g., a ward, a region, or a member).
The board has a clear idea about who it is accountable to, as described in the statement below.
The board can distinguish between its accountability to stakeholders who are the equivalent of “shareholders” (i.e., moral owners) and its accountability to other stakeholders, such as customers, employees, or funding agencies, and has a policy that outlines these accountabilities.

Connection with "Shareholders" *

Other than our Annual General Meeting (if the organization has one), the board does not do anything in particular to connect to its “shareholders.”
Board members sometimes report back to the board the results of their informal connections in their community or constituency, but most of these reports are about operational matters or are about concerns of service users.
The board’s connection with the community or constituency outside the organization is limited to providing information about what the organization is doing and has accomplished.
The board has a deliberate plan for connecting with its “shareholders” to obtain representative input about their values, perspectives and needs and reporting back to them on results.

Vision, Ends, Results *

The board has not articulated the results it expects the organization to produce.
The board has defined the actions or activities the CEO is expected to perform.
The board has identified specific outcomes or results the CEO is expected to achieve. These outcomes are recorded in the minutes of board meetings, the strategic plan, or the CEO’s performance plan.
The board has written policies which clearly define the results it expects the organization to produce, who the results are for, and what it is worth to produce the benefits.

Board Policies - Part 1 *

The organization does not have policies that identify imprudent or unethical organizational situations that must be avoided.
The board approves CEO plans on an event or program-specific basis.
The board approves internal operating policies related to areas such as financial management, human resource management, and treatment of customers.
The board has written policies which clearly define for the CEO in advance what organizational situations the board considers imprudent or unethical.

Board Policies - Part 2 *

The board (not the organization) has no written policies, or few written policies.
The board has policies in place but they are referred to infrequently.
The board has policies for its own processes, and policies that provide direction to the CEO and/or staff operations. Most of these are developed by the CEO and staff, and approved by the board.
The board has developed its own policies for its governance processes, and policies that provide direction to the CEO, arranged in a manner that begins with the broadest, most comprehensive concepts, and then moving in to smaller concepts in a step-wise fashion.

Delegation to the CEO - Part 1 *

Different board members have their own expectations of the CEO, and at times may give the CEO divergent instructions.
The board instructs the CEO via the board Chair, who functions as the liaison between the board and the CEO.
The board instructs the CEO by approving specific plans that the CEO brings to the board.
The board instructs the CEO by providing written policies outlining its expectations.

Delegation to the CEO - Part 2 *

The board or individual board members tell the CEO and/or staff members how to do their jobs.
Several staff members report directly to the board or to individual board members or board committees.
In its meetings, the board gives directions to various staff members.
The board as a whole directs only the CEO.

Delegation to the CEO - Part 3 *

The board spells out exactly how it wants the CEO to achieve specific results, or directly involves itself in the operations.
The board allows the CEO to choose how to achieve results, but approves the CEO’s plans.
The board minimizes its involvement in operational areas, but does on occasion become involved in making operational decisions.
The board allows the CEO to make any reasonable interpretation of its policies.

Board Committees *

The board has a number of committees to assist the CEO and staff in areas such as finance, human resources, public relations, programs, marketing, etc.
The board assigns some of its members to the CEO’s operational committees to assist in their work or to provide linkage to the board.
The board has enough standing committees so that each board member belongs to at least one.
The board uses committees only to help with its own work, and does not have committees that help or advise staff in operational areas.

Reporting to the Board *

The board does not receive any formal reports about organizational results.
The board receives regular reports about operational or program activities.
The board receives regular reports about achievement of specific goals in the strategic plan.
The Board receives regular reports from the CEO demonstrating achievement of the benefits the organization is to produce (not just descriptions of activities), and evidence of compliance with limits the board has placed on the CEO’s authority.

Board Agendas *

The CEO develops the agenda for board meetings.
The Board Chair decides what will be on the board meeting agenda, with input from the CEO.
The board has some standard agenda items and board members regularly contribute to the board meeting agenda, often at the last minute.
The board develops at least an annual agenda plan, from which meeting agendas are derived.

Board Self-Evaluation *

The board has never evaluated how it functions as a board.
The board occasionally evaluates how it functions as a board.
The board regularly evaluates how it functions as a board using a form that someone on the board or the CEO found, or a form it developed.
The board regularly evaluates how it functions as a board, comparing its behaviour to its expectations for itself as stated in its policies.

Name *

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Organization *

Email *

This board self evaluation is designed to help you determine areas in which your board could benefit from further development. Our Board Practices Profile helps provide your board of directors with usable solutions and suggestions for improving the practices of your board.

Expert Coaching. Practical Resources.

board practices profile™

When you have completed this Board Practices profile, fill in your basic information and we will provide you with a brief report indicating areas in which your board could benefit from further development, and suggestions to help you move forward.

“Please allow up to a week for the results, as the commentary is prepared by a real consultant, not computer-generated.”

Subscribe ...

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board practices profile™

When you have completed this Board Practices profile, fill in your basic information and we will provide you with a brief report indicating areas in which your board could benefit from further development, and suggestions to help you move forward.

“Please allow up to a week for the results, as the commentary is prepared by a real consultant, not computer-generated.”

Subscribe ...

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