Tip #96 How Can the Performance of Individual Board Members Be Assessed?
Some ideas for assessing the performance of individual board members follow:
- Each board member completes an annual self-evaluation of their performance that includes educational needs and shares this with the board chair.
- Each board member completes anonymous evaluations of the other board members. These completed evaluations can be given to the board chair.
- Each board member meets with the board chair for an annual board member performance review. This performance review session could include a discussion of the board member's self-evaluation. It could also include the evaluations of them completed anonymously by other board members. Finally, it could include a discussion of board member educational needs and also possible future service as a board officer.
A sample Board Member Self-Evaluation Form and a sample Form for Assessment of Board Member Peers follows.
_______________________________________________________________________
Boards On Course
Sample Board Member Self-Evaluation Form
Name of Board Member Completing This Form: _________________________
Date: __________
Scoring: 1 = Strongly Agree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree,
5 = Strongly Agree
| Comments | Score | |||||
| 1. I attended board meetings regularly. | ||||||
| 2. I was on time for board meetings. | ||||||
| 3. I was well-prepared for board meetings. | ||||||
| 4. I participated constructively in board meeting discussions. | ||||||
| 5. I interacted with other board members in a courteous and respectful manner. | ||||||
| 6. I sought out and encouraged a diversity of viewpoints. | ||||||
| 7. I felt comfortable expressing opinions different from those expressed by other board members. | ||||||
| 8. I didn't dominate board meeting discussions. | ||||||
| 9. I focused on board-level issues rather than operational-level issues delegated to management. | ||||||
| 10. Overall, I felt confident that I have the knowledge and skills to be an effective board member. | ||||||
| 11. I would like to serve another term as a board member (if eligible). | ||||||
| 12. I would like to serve as a board officer (if not already serving as such). | ||||||
To enhance my service as a board member, I am interested in increasing my knowledge and skills in the following areas.
Board Member Signature: _________________________
Date: __________
_______________________________________________________________________
Boards On Course
Sample Form for Assessment of Board Member Peers
Scoring: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree,
5 = Strongly Agree
| Board Member Name | Board Member Name | Board Member Name | Board Member Name | |||
| 1. Attended board meetings regularly. | ||||||
| 2. Was on time for board meetings. | ||||||
| 3. Was well-prepared for board meetings. | ||||||
| 4. Participated constructively in board meeting discussions. | ||||||
| 5. Interacted with other board members in a courteous and respectful way. | ||||||
| 6. Sought out and encouraged a diversity of viewpoints. | ||||||
| 7. Felt comfortable expressing opinions different from those expressed by other board members. | ||||||
| 8. Did not dominate board meeting discussions. | ||||||
| 9. Focused on board-level issues rather than operational-level issues delegated to management. | ||||||
| 10. Overall, demonstrated having the knowledge and skills to be an effective board member. | ||||||
| 11. Would recommend this board member serve another term as a board member (if eligible). | ||||||
| 12. Would recommend this board member serve as a board officer (if not already serving as such). | ||||||
Board Member Signature: _________________________
Date: __________
_______________________________________________________________________
Please feel free to modify and use these forms as you wish. For a Word document of either or both of these forms, please email John Bohley: jpbohley@gmail.com.
To be clear, the Policy Governance(R) model does not require any of these specific individual board member evaluation approaches. To learn more about the Policy Governance(R) model, please click https://www.BoardsOnCourse.com/policy-governance.