The role of boards

A checklist for non-executive board members:

Am I confident that the board has the right information to assess the organisation’s and the management’s performance?
Am I sure that the board has effectively assessed the risks facing the organisation and has plans in place to manage those risks?
Am I confident that the board has the right skills, knowledge and expertise?
Does the financial and performance information I receive as a board member tell me how the organisation is performing?
Is the relationship between the chair and chief executive effective, balanced and appropriate?
Do the chair and the chief executive understand and respect their respective roles?
Does the board know when to stay out of the day-to-day running of the organisation?
What more could the board do to be open and transparent?
Are we learning and sharing enough from other boards?
How could we improve and develop our system of induction, training and assessment of board members?
Do I think our committee structure enhances our scrutiny work or does it slow us down or draw us into too much detail?
Am I confident that the board makes the best decisions?