board effectivenessIneffective boards waste a lot of time, are rife with conflict, and are often just in it for the free lunch. Effective boards get a lot done, communicate and collaborate well, and deserve to celebrate their achievements every once in a while.

How to spot an effective board?

Take a look at the following five points and see where your board sits.

  • Effective boards have appropriate structure- Some organisations do well with a small, well functioning board, but others are better served by two tiers of influence- an advisory panel of experts can inform the governing board in industry specific matters. Which will work best often depends on the size of the organisation and the specialised knowledge required for it to serve its purpose.
  • Effective boards plan- A working calendar is a measurable marker of a board’s success. As much as can be scheduled in advance should be, including meetings, budgets, operation objectives and organisaitonal work. This plan guides the operations of the board and the organisation.
  • Effective boards run efficient meetings- Not only is starting and finishing on time important, efficiently run meetings have a set agenda, and allow adequate time for all items to be addressed but a well attending board. Input from all members is heard, conflict is handled well, and the chair ensures meetings are appropriately toned and paced.
  • Effective boards self-assess- An effective board will evaluate where it has done well and where it can improve several times a year. It will then be able to address any gaps in knowledge that would help things run more smoothly, and sometimes procure development training or mentors for members.
  • Effective boards delegate to committees- For larger, more complex organisations, the workload may be handled better if it is divided and given to various committees. Eg. Investment Committee, Fund-raising Committee. These sub-groups can focus in more detail on the work at hand, and report back to the board at suitable intervals. 

So, is it time to shuffle things around? Or time to congratulate your board for a job well done?