How do you manage board expectations and accountability?

1 Communicate effectively

Communication is essential for a successful board relationship. You need to communicate your vision, strategy, and priorities, as well as any opportunities, risks, and challenges you face. It's also important to listen to their input, concerns, and feedback, and recognize their contributions and expertise. To communicate effectively, set up a regular communication schedule and format that suits your board's preferences and needs. Utilize various channels and methods such as emails, calls, reports, presentations, and meetings to convey your message and involve your board. Additionally, tailor your communication style and content to each board member's personality, role, and interest. Lastly, be honest, respectful, and constructive while avoiding surprises, conflicts, and misunderstandings.

2 Set clear goals and metrics

Managing board expectations and accountability requires setting clear goals and metrics that reflect the board's vision, mission, and values. These should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. To ensure success, involve the board in the goal-setting process and solicit their input and buy-in. Each board member and yourself should have clearly defined roles and responsibilities in achieving the goals. Establish a baseline and benchmarks to track progress and compare results, while also communicating your goals and metrics to the board and other stakeholders regularly.

3 Provide regular feedback and evaluation

The final step of managing board expectations and accountability is providing regular feedback and evaluation to your board. This is essential for measuring performance, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and improving outcomes, as well as recognizing achievements, addressing challenges, and enhancing engagement and satisfaction. To do this, you should develop a feedback and evaluation system that covers both qualitative and quantitative aspects of your performance. Utilize various tools and methods such as surveys, interviews, dashboards, and reports to collect and analyze data. Share the results with your board in a timely, concise, and constructive manner. Celebrate successes, acknowledge failures, and implement learnings and recommendations for improvement. It is important to note that managing board expectations and accountability is an ongoing process that requires constant communication, collaboration, and improvement. With these tips in mind, you can foster a positive and productive board relationship that supports your goals and enhances your performance.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?