The effectiveness of the board’s management aspect of the board assessment process examines the board’s processes for managing the board’s agenda meetings, agendas and distribution of written reports. It is crucial to ensure that there is a clear definition of responsibilities as well as timelines and quantifiable outcomes for every item on the agenda.

Another important consideration is the board’s ability understand and respond quickly to business challenges and risks. Boards need to be flexible in their approach, no matter if it’s shareholder activism, or cyber-security.

In the end, the ability of the board to motivate and support the CEO and senior management is essential in allowing them to fulfill their responsibilities. A thorough assessment of the board’s performance could aid in reestablishing the exact purpose and roles of the C-Suite and the board of directors so that everyone is working together towards the same goals.

The board’s knowledge of business goes beyond what management says to them and includes their own research into suppliers, customers, and other key stakeholder behavior as well as economic headwinds and opportunities. Board members also visit companies and engage with management in informal ways between meetings to gain firsthand knowledge.

The board has a well-developed and well-understood information management system that has sufficient details to permit informed decision-making. This could include a matrices of board reporting and notices that clearly defines the issues that require oversight by the board (mission crucial) and what doesn’t (management issues). In addition, it could be beneficial to have a governance framework that spells out the proper role for the board in relation to each of these areas.

http://yourboardroom.ne