Reviewing the way the board works

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It helps to think of reviewing the effectiveness of the board as a continual and recurring activity rather than an occasional initiative.  It is best led by the chair - but it can be initiated by other trustees or by the CEO.

Make reviews part of the culture of your organisation

If you are the chair encourage a culture where reviewing performance is seen as natural and helpful. You can start with small steps, for example  reviewing whether a meeting has been successful. This helps people become used to offering and responding to constructive feedback.

Allocate time and resources to do reviews

Be realistic about the time and resources you have to invest in board review activities. It may be in 20 minute chunks or you may be able to devote a whole day. You may want to choose just one area that you review -  for example how well the board makes important decisions. This will help  to keep the task manageable and to ensure action results. Definite progress helps to build confidence and motivation.

Choose your moment to review

If you do decide that a significant initiative on governance review is right for your charity or non profit organisation, choose the right moment even if it means slower progress. It’s generally better to select times when the organisation is stable, since times of crisis can make people defensive and therefore less able to be reflective and consider changes  and improvements.

Encourage board members to reflect on their work

Encourage trustees to review their own work on the board. In some organisations the chair or vice – chair talks to each trustee about how they are doing, what else they would like to contribute and whether they have any development needs.

Learn from others

Does your board look at what other organisations do? Take advantage of conferences, networks, case studies and other resources to learn from others. CTN provide information and run regular events. If you can afford it consider attending a conference for trustees such as NCVO's annual trustee conference. In time you may wish to consider benchmarking aspects of the way your charity works against others.

Useful links

• Code of Governance Toolkit, a practical guide to the code of governance for the voluntary and community sector (pdf, 335 kb) by Peter Dyer 2006 Governance Hub (free download).  This is focused specifically on the Code of Governance. It helps an organisation understand what good governance is and how to improve your approach. It offers a range of  practical suggestions and exercises for different organisations at different stages. It includes a self assessment exercise.
• Good governance the Chair’s Role by Dorothy Dalton 2006 NCVO. This includes a section on board review and discusses chair appraisal, providing case studies and sample documents. (This section is also available as a free online toolkit on the NCVO website.)
• The Good Trustee Guide by Peter Dyer 2004 NCVO  includes a section on reviewing the board’s effectiveness, including a sample questionnaire. 
• A CEO's Guide to Board Development 2007 ACEVO This guide emphasises the value of board development as part of a cycle, stressing that it is not intended to be intimidating or threatening, but simply to help the charity move forward. It follows the progress of a new trustee through induction and first meeting and the annual cycle of the Board. It includes templates and examples of appraising the board and working on other aspects of the board’s work.

Have your say

What have you learnt from the governance challenges you have faced in the past? Could you share your experience with others who are just starting out?

Ask questions and exchange ideas on the Governance forum.