Removing an underperforming Board member is an exercise that must be handled with care, especially if the director in question still feels passionately about the organization but are unsuitable for future tenure. One way to approach this area is to maintain high standards from the beginning.
This can be established through a Board Charter, or Standards of Behavior document. If the Board member is not meeting these expectations, then they are counselled and invited to change or resign. This episode of the 'Conscious CEO Series' looks at many more strategies available to you when a director needs to be removed from the Board.
More on Leadership
Key Performance Indicators and performance management frameworks tailored specifically for CEOs are of critical importance. Establishing a robust governance framework can significantly impact an organization's trajectory.
One of the core responsibilities of board directors is to ensure that the organisation's governance structures are robust, relevant, and legally compliant. Yet, the importance of regularly reviewing constitutions is often overlooked until something goes wrong.
A common theme for many Boards is not knowing how to deal with conversations that go off the rails. Here are some key strategies, including how to use your Vision Statement, to help bring Board interactions and conversations back on track.
One of the key elements of a high performing Board, is the presence of a mandatory mentoring system for new Board members. If this is something you believe your new Board members would welcome, then here are some guidelines we have found useful when designing mentoring programs for new Board members.
The day a person joins the leadership team on a board of directors is the day they become liable for the decisions of the board. Preparing new board members for this responsibility is the function of a well-designed board induction program.
More from the Conscious CEO Series
What are you really saying when you present your board report as a commentary on how 'busy' you have been? This common approach should be abandoned in favor of board reports that focus on your strategic plan.
Removing an underperforming Board member is an exercise that must be handled with care especially if the director in question still feels passionately about the organization, but are unsuitable for future tenure.
What's the best way to cultivate leadership qualities, regardless of your formal job title?
Risk is an often misunderstood concept in governance, especially when it is contained at all costs and never explored for potential gian.
The relationship between the nonprofit Board Chair and the CEO is arguably the most important relationship in the organization. What does it take to nurture the relationship, even bring it back from the brink?

Given the fast-changing, volatile environment most boards operate in, directors will rarely have enough information to make watertight decisions. Instead, they must rely on their personal attributes and behavioural dispositions to navigate uncertainty and drive effective decision making.