How to Use This Self-Assessment

Score each statement 1 (strongly disagree) through 4 (strongly agree). Be honest. Patterns matter more than any single answer. When you are done, total your score and review the rubric at the end.

Dimension 1: Meeting Discipline

• Our board meets at a cadence that matches the demands on the organization, not the demands of the calendar.
• Every meeting has a written agenda, distributed at least 48 hours in advance.
• Materials arrive in time to be read, not skimmed at the table.
• Minutes are accurate, decision-focused, and available within a week.
• Difficult conversations happen in the room, not in the parking lot.

Dimension 2: Oversight Effectiveness

• We can name the three most important risks to the organization right now.
• Our financial reports answer the questions a board should be asking, not the ones a CFO finds convenient.
• Audit findings are tracked to closure with a named owner and a date.
• We review CEO performance against measurable goals, not personality.
• Compliance issues reach the board through a clear, documented channel.

Dimension 3: Role Clarity

• Every board member can articulate the difference between governance and management.
• Committees have written charges and stay inside them.
• Board members understand they speak as a body, not as individuals, once a decision is made.
• New board member onboarding takes the role seriously and prepares them to contribute by month three.
• The chair and the CEO meet regularly outside of board meetings.

Dimension 4: Strategic Alignment

• Our strategic plan is a living document, referenced in most board meetings.
• We can show how today's biggest decisions connect to long-term strategy.
• We review progress against strategy on a defined cadence, not when it occurs to someone.
• External shifts (regulatory, demographic, financial) prompt strategy revisits, not after-the-fact reactions.
• We have an honest conversation about strategy at least once a year, not just an annual rubber-stamp.

Scoring Rubric

Add your scores. Maximum score: 80. Minimum score: 20.

• 70 to 80: Strong governance. Use the items you scored 3 to identify the next refinement.
• 55 to 69: Functional, with material gaps. Pick the lowest-scoring dimension and address it in the next 90 days.
• 40 to 54: At risk. Bring in an outside facilitator to reset governance practices before the next major decision.
• Below 40: In trouble. The board is not currently positioned to oversee the organization. Action this quarter, not this year.