Boards of directors: how to improve performance

Boards of directors provide the leadership and accountability that determine the success of an organisation. Their effectiveness is crucial - and yet many boards lack effective processes. The application of simple standards at board level can radically improve performance.

Proven processes

The Institute of Directors publication Standards for the Board provides benchmark standards for both the operation of boards and the behaviour of individual directors. It is an excellent basis for a coaching or mentoring programme.

Standards for the Board provides guidelines of good practice, including statutory requirements, for company directors. It provides a framework within which company boards can develop, maintain and review their corporate governance policies and practices. And it helps boards improve their own performance and, through this, the success of their companies.

Sensible application of Standards will clarify your board's tasks and the way you conduct your affairs, and help you make many of your important decisions. It can be used as a tool for re-appraising what the board does and how it does it, and for taking actions which might otherwise not have been taken.

Here is a selection of behaviours as an initial checklist: -

1. We define and review the role and responsibilities of each individual director and how these contribute to the effectiveness of the board.

2. Board members are effectively briefed in time to prepare for meetings.

3. We regularly review the quality of the board's decisions, advice and its actions.

4. The company's organisation structure and capability is appropriate for implementing its chosen strategies.

5. Company objectives are consistent with the mission, values and needs of stakeholders, and form the basis of company strategy.

6. The vision and mission are championed by the entire board throughout the organisation.

7. The vision and mission are monitored and reviewed regularly.

8. Company objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.

9. The board regularly reviews the company's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

10. The organisation's culture encourages continuous change and questioning of convention.

11. The board clearly delegates authority to management and regularly reviews management's effectiveness.

12. All staff, including me, receive a personal development review at least annually.

Answer, honestly; could your board be more effective? Most boards could! Contact us now to discuss how Brefi Group could review board processes and help you improve performance.

Director development for new and prospective directors

Standards also highlights the attributes required of individual directors if a board is to operate successfully, and can be used to assist in the selection, induction, training and development of directors.

Check out your effectiveness as a director with our free dynamic on-line training needs analysis.

Learn about director development, coaching and mentoring and continuing professional development for directors.

Contact us now to discuss how we can use it to support your performance as a director or chairman, or obtain massive improvement in how your board operates.

Find out more

We don't know whether you have yet defined a need to improve the performance of your board of directors, or whether you would like to learn more about executive coaching for directors and executive mentoring. You could contact us now. Or you could explore more of the site or our resources or book reviews or you could try a training needs analysis.

Or, of course, you could do nothing.

The choice is yours.

Why not contact us now.