Despite the best intentions, board members can sometimes be disengaged from their critical oversight responsibilities. This is usually due to dysfunctional group dynamics, like rivalries, dominance by a handful of directors, and poor communication that prevents the board from engaging in the collective decision-making process necessary for effective decision making.

The board may also not create the right internal structures to help carry its responsibilities for performance assessment. It is typical to establish committees or officer roles whose duties include gathering and analyzing the results of evaluations, before making http://boardroompro.net/5-organizational-assessment-tools-for-nonprofits them available to the board for review. Delegating these issues to the board’s entire attention or even delegating them to the management team and CEO is unlikely to produce effective oversight.

The board will likely be unable to assess its overall performance in the event that it fails to consider behavioral factors into its review of individual directors’ contributions and effectiveness. This results in a perfunctory process designed in order to satisfy listing requirements or to give lip service to good governance.

There are a variety of ways boards can improve their performance as well as fulfill their fiduciary obligations. Focusing on the quality human interactions in the boardroom is the initial step. This can be accomplished by ensuring that the board is flexible and resilient, as well as strategic in its approach. It is also essential to have the proper mix of experience and abilities, including gender diversity. This lets the board get a wider range of perspectives and to more effectively deal with the issues that are critical to them. It also helps the board create an environment that promotes open communication and a diversity of viewpoints.