The relationship between the nonprofit Board Chair and the CEO is arguably the most important relationship in the organization.
In this episode of The Conscious CEO Series, Steven Bowman recounts a time when he was acting as the CEO of the Australasian Institute of Banking and Finance.
When asked what the relationship should be between the Chair and CEO, his Chair at the time replied with the following:
"It is a relationship with only one rule…No surprises…because that will only ever happen once."
This episode also explores strategies to nurture the CEO-Chair relationship so you can create lasting Boardroom unity and cohesion.
Read next: How to strengthen the most important relationship in your nonprofit
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Board portals are only as good as the directors using them, because a lack of confidence or trust will hinder their full adoption, say experts.
In this AICD article written by Jessica Mudditt, governance experts including Steven Bowman FAICD explain why board portals play a pivotal role in streamlining governance processes and communicating more effectively and efficiently with directors.
Before you say yes to your first not-for-profit board, find out what you need to know, the questions you should ask and what can happen if governance goes wrong. Article featuring Steven Bowman and written by Domini Stuart, Journalist, AICD.
In his AICD article, Steven Bowman FAICD discusses the transformative role of board portals in modern governance and how these tools not only streamline compliance through features like secure document sharing and AI-driven insights, but also enhance strategic decision-making by integrating compliance with broader organizational goals.
The role of an advisory board is to ask questions that would not normally be considered or asked by a business, and open up the conversation so that a company can be more strategic. Yet advisory boards are a much under-utilised resource that are often not well understood.
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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?
Board performance is often undermined not by strategy, but by predictable director behaviours that derail discussion and decision making. These patterns are familiar in most boardrooms and require different interventions from the chair. This article outlines practical strategies and targeted questions to help boards stay focused, balanced and effective.