Assessing Board Assessment

Annual board evaluation (or board assessment as it is sometimes called) has always struck me as being a strange animal. It seems an entire industry has grown up to help boards decide whether or not they are doing a good job. You might not think this strange – most people want to know if they are doing a good job. But it is strange and here’s why – especially if you are the ultimate authority within your organisation (which as a board you are) – how can you assess how well you have done a job that your board members have never agreed to do? I have a whole article on this subject called Assessing Board Assessment at www.goodtogovern.com.

I am all for board assessment but only against criteria that board’s have agreed to be in their owners’ best interests. Others may have opinions but they are not the final arbiters – only owners are.