Is Your Board Ready for a Checkup? Understanding Board Assessment: Part 1 of 2

Certain habits and routines are so familiar to us that we do them as a matter of practice.  Once a year, it is recommended that we visit our doctor for a physical.  Every 3,000 miles or so, we change the oil in our car.  Every 6 months, we check the batteries in our smoke detectors at home.  We don’t do these things because something is wrong or broken.  Rather, we do them because there is value in checking in, value in a tune up, and value in establishing priorities for the future.  Board assessment is similar in many ways.

In Part 1 of this 2-part blog series, explore the value of a Board Assessment as a tool for enhancing the health and performance of your Board.  In Part 2, we will look at various tools and methods of Board Assessment and address frequently asked questions to maximize the impact on your Board.

Like any team, most nonprofit Boards will go through periods in which they are clicking on all cylinders and periods in which performance or effectiveness may dip.  Just as having an annual physical may catch any symptoms of declining health at an early stage, so too can a Board Assessment help surface any early signals of declining effectiveness.  A Board Assessment process offers the following benefits:

Greater Self Awareness

Boards are not able to address issues unless they first have a mechanism for identifying them.  By providing Board members an opportunity to hold a mirror up to their own performance, a Board Assessment provides a safe and effective means of surfacing issues before they lead to conflict or dysfunction.  Often, Board members will say during a discussion of the assessment results, “I had a feeling that was something we needed to address, but it is reassuring to see that others feel the same way.” On the flip side, a Board Assessment can also offer teams an opportunity to celebrate the areas in which they are thriving.

Alignment of Board Practices with Organizational Strategy

Boards, like nonprofit organizations themselves, proceed through stages of a life cycle.  The practices of the Board of a fledgling nonprofit often differ from those of an established organization.  Likewise, as the strategic priorities of a nonprofit evolve, so too must its Board habits to promote alignment and effectiveness.  A Board Assessment helps align the priorities of the Board with the strategic imperatives of the organization.  

Goal Setting

During Board retreats, I will often ask Board members, “What are your top priorities for the coming year as a Board?”  Often, I will hear responses such as, “Be more engaged” or “Just be better.”  While there is nothing wrong with these sentiments, they are akin to your doctor telling you at your physical to “Just be healthier.”  The truth is that Boards have many responsibilities -- governance, fundraising, oversight, strategy, ambassadorship.  It can seem overwhelming at times.  A Board Assessment serves as an effective goal-setting process for Boards, helping members identify what’s important now (W.I.N.) and what 2-3 aspects of their governance responsibilities are most critical to address in the coming year.  By providing tangible areas of focus and action steps, a facilitated Board Assessment can provide greater clarity and focus for your Board.   

Be sure to check back for Part 2 of this blog series for discussion of the various types of Board Assessment and the benefits of each, along with answers to frequently asked questions!  If you have additional questions about Board Assessment, or would like to explore bringing the Nielsen Training & Consulting Signature Board Champions Assessment to your organization, please reach out to us at gregory@nielsenconsults.com.