How do boards and the Executive Director ensure they are working well together?
Boards often worry about their relationship with their single employee, the Executive Director (ED). Many times, when we speak individually with a board chair or an Executive Director, their greatest concern is a fear that they are not aligned and may be heading for trouble. In most cases, board meetings are run well, with the ED providing relevant information, and the personal relationship between the chair and the ED is strong.
So, what is missing?
Most often, we find the board has not conducted a formal ED evaluation in some time.
But why does this matter if the board seems happy and the chair and ED have a good relationship? In many cases, the board chair has been reassuring the ED and frequently noting that everything is going well.
What is really missing here is direct communication with the board—the ED’s true employer.
The assumption is that the ED should be satisfied with the chair’s reassurance that they are doing well and that the board is happy with their performance. However, sometimes the chair may not feel comfortable leading an evaluation of an ED with whom they have a positive relationship. There may be a reluctance to identify areas for improvement or uncertainty about assessing a role that differs significantly from their own expertise. Chairs may not know what to say or how to approach the conversation. In addition, there may be no one on the board with HR leadership experience, or the Governance Committee may be unwilling to take on this added responsibility.
In the meantime, an information gap develops between the board and the ED. This gap can lead the ED to consider other opportunities, mistakenly believing they are not meeting board expectations.
What does a formal evaluation provide that reassurance from the board chair cannot?
A formal evaluation delivers feedback from the entire board—not just the chair. It provides a structured, regular (typically annual) opportunity for the board and ED to engage in meaningful dialogue about expectations, performance, and unmet needs—on both sides.
The evaluation also creates a formal record that remains in the ED’s confidential file, extending beyond the tenure of any single board chair. It documents the board’s expectations for future directors and helps guide the ED in developing a clear plan to meet operational needs and support its governance.
To ensure openness and transparency in a relationship that is critical to organizational success, the formal ED evaluation process is an essential tool for effective communication—and well worth the time it requires.
A Capacity Canada Perspective
Exceptional boards understand that strong communication with the ED is fundamental to both board and organizational success.
They schedule an annual ED evaluation process, typically led by the Governance Committee, ensuring input from both the board and the ED. This process creates an opportunity to recognize what is working well and to clarify expectations that have not yet been achieved. It strengthens leadership alignment around strategic goals and identifies how the board can support the ED’s continued growth and success.
Perhaps the glue that binds a board and ED together is structured communication. Who would have thought?
What does your organization need to move from performance to practice? Visit this page to see how Capacity Canada can help.
Written By:
Don McDermott, Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
Email: [email protected]