Boards and Senior Leadership: Successes, Pitfalls, and Best Practices

Best practices and helpful tools shared at the BC Care Providers Association’s ‘Taking Care of Business’ Conference in Victoria BC, May 2023

Communicate regularly, building trust and transparency: establish a clear communications framework
- Clear division line between the CEO and rest of the organization
- Direct line of communication with CEO
- Clear expectations in terms of frequency and format
Conduct frequent informal check-in’s between the Board Chair and CEO
Create space for informal relationship-building (fosters trust)
- CEO to meet with a different Board member once a month to establish connections with all Board members
Develop a standing in camera session before every Board meeting to develop consistency in practice and to enable opportunities to ask CEO questions during the Board meeting
CEO to provide Board members with content expertise (educate the Board members what to question)
Regularly solicit feedback from both CEO/Senior Leadership and Board and act an identified areas for improvement
Establish communication plan for unexpected or crisis events

Ensure Board governance model is clear
Ensure clear Board role descriptions and mechanisms exist that allow Board members to fulfill these responsibilities and allow for regular check-ins
Align Board roles with the values, mandate and strategic direction of the organization
Educate Board members on roles and expectations during orientation and provide ongoing reminders at meetings
Develop processes to hold Board members accountable for being present and engaged
Make clear what the CEO is responsible for and how and when they will be evaluated
Ensure there are policies and procedures to identify and manage conflict

The Board Chair to be the facilitator rather than the leading voice
Senior leadership to present at Board meetings
Develop clear guidelines and roles as foundational to creating a solid culture
Have dinner together at the beginning of meetings (get to know each other)
Develop and Sustain an atmosphere of collaboration, trust, and respect among members
Provide training and development
Measure and report on Board performance (‘Board check-up’)
Ensure open and clear 2-way communication
Board members should read, sign, and follow a Board Code of Conduct and possibly a Team Charter
Consider a Human Rights and Inclusivity Policy
Don’t underestimate the impact of a comprehensive orientation

Establish a succession plan as soon as a new CEO is in place (do not wait)
Have a consistent line of communication with the CEO to ensure the Board isn’t caught off guard
Establish a hiring Committee and keep the Board apprised along the way
- Establish a clear project management approach for the recruitment (set schedule and milestones)
Use multiple recruitment channels, including Board network and social channels
Engage the Board to ensure alignment with mission
Have a recruiter ready – know who you are going to call

Use an intentional approach – formalized and transparent recruitment structure
- Interview candidates – you want someone who believes in the mission of the organization
- Don’t just bring on people you know
Skills matrix
- Link skills matrix to strategic plan; linked to strategic objectives
- Seek diversity
- Value lived experience
- Shift from ‘urgent’ recruitment to skill building, volunteering, and champions
Recognition leads to engaged Board members

Role of the Board is to serve and protect
Senior management team to provide updates in the CEO report
Build expertise within the Board (they don’t know the organization like a CEO does)
Identify key performance indicators for strategic objectives and align reporting with the strategic plan
- Align with regulatory, funding, or accreditation requirements, where possible to minimize burden
- Educate the Board on the measures and lines of reporting
- Establish regular reporting cycle, consider standing agenda item
Develop a risk register
Ensure the staff understand the fiduciary role of the Board