Building Breakthrough Boards: Step 5 Evaluate

Board Development, Board of Directors

Step 5: Evaluate

“What gets measured gets improved” -Peter Drucker

Boards perform better when they are constantly evaluating their own performance and effectiveness. The board of directors should consider building a board plan-within-the-strategic plan. Once the board has agreed to its own plan, it will need to assess its own performance.

According to a recent McKinsey survey of executives and directors of nonprofit social-service organizations found that only 17% of the respondents felt that their boards were as effective as possible.

“We found that many nonprofit boards struggle with basics such as recruiting the right members and running meetings effectively. The first task, then, is to nail down the fundamentals—a clear vision, appropriate board membership, and effective processes—because these elements enable directors to avoid wasting a great deal of time and energy. Getting the basics right makes it easier for a board to undertake the hard work of providing true performance and management oversight and to adjust the priorities of both the directors and the organization. Generally, the key isn’t to do more but to focus more.” - The Dynamic Nonprofit Board, McKinsey Insights

To start building a more effective board, it is helpful to evaluate the boards performance, priorities, and function. Please CLICK HERE to download McKinsey & Company’s Nonprofit Board Self Assessment Tool - Short Form. For a more detailed assessment please CLICK HERE to contact us.