Boards of management have an enormous complex and difficult job to do. They must lead an organisation, work effectively as a team, fulfil legal and ethical responsibilities, make strategic decisions and ensure the organisation works towards its mission.

To find out if the board is doing their job well, many are conducting board reviews and assessments.

The notion of assessing the board’s performance has become more acceptable over the past few years as boards begin to realise that conducting board reviews help them to develop their team, create positive change and demonstrate accountability. When board reviews are more than just tick box exercise, they help boards improve their problem solving skills, and increase their accountability and performance.

Here are a few important questions for your board to reflect on and discuss:

1. Are we doing what we said we will do?
2. Are we doing what our stakeholders expect us to do?
3. Are we being an effective leadership team?
4. How do we measure our performance?
5. What could we do better?

They may be difficult questions to answer but that is all the more reason why a board needs to discuss them frequently and honestly.

Here are some good tips for reducing power struggles and enhancing board performance:

• Create opportunities to build trust and respect within the team and between members.
• Help people understand that becoming a board member means working together in the interest of the organisation.
• Provide conflict resolution training and teach board members how to have difficult conversations.
• Identify the needs of each person, and do all you can to meet those needs.
• Identify and put to use the talents and contributions of all board members.
• Measure the board’s performance frequently.

‘We measure everything – why not governance?’ Mo Ibrahim