Effective Communication with the Executive Director

The Board of Directors has only one employee that they manage directly: The CEO or Executive Director.

The CEO’s role is to ensure that the goals set forth (hopefully in a strategic plan) by the Board of Directors are met, carrying out the mission of the organization with fiscal responsibility.

So, how does a board of people effectively manage one person?

Build Trust

The most important thing a board can do with their CEO is to have a trusting and open relationship. This will enable the CEO to be open about hurdles they or the organization is facing and encourage them to feel comfortable in their role to ask for help. 

• Differentiate governance from management. Boards set strategy, policy, and oversight; the CEO runs operations.

• Avoid micromanagement. Trust erodes quickly when boards second-guess day-to-day decisions.

• Document expectations in bylaws, committee charters, and the CEO’s job description.

• Invest in the CEO’s development (coaching, peer networks, conferences).

• Be a thought partner, not only a supervisor.

• Respect the CEO’s expertise, especially when they have deeper field or community knowledge.

• Run a Fair, Transparent CEO Evaluation Process by using a consistent, written evaluation framework that focuses on growth as well as accountability.  Avoid informal or shifting criteria, which undermine trust.

• Ensure feedback is timely, specific, and constructive.

• Demonstrate Trust Before Demanding It

• Delegate real authority along with responsibility.

• Avoid excessive controls or reporting “just in case.”

• Assume good intent, especially during periods of stress or transition.

Communicate Effectively:

Ensuring an open stream of communication between your CEO and the board is vital, but it is also time consuming. Besides having bi-annual check-ins with individual board members and consistent board meetings, as directed by your bylaws, your CEO also will benefit from regular communications with your board. Remember, heavy is the head that wears the crown. As the organization’s leader, the CEO needs a sounding board and regular communication patterns will enable the CEO to trust board members in that role.

• Create regular, structured check-ins between the board chair and CEO.

• Avoid surprises. Share concerns early and directly rather than letting them surface at board meetings.

• Encourage candor. Make it safe for the CEO to bring bad news without fear of punishment.

• Set up a cadence for written communication with the board members such as monthly emails or quick celebrations when a funding source comes through. Let the CEO and the board chair design a system that works and then expect consistency with follow-through.

• Consider designating a staff liaison role on the board to create a second person that the CEO can go to for help if the board chair is not available (or causing an issue). 

Define Expectations:

Your CEO will look to you to clearly understand what they need to accomplish. Based on that, they should build out the tactics to achieve those goals. Ensuring that the board aligned on the priorities and they are properly resourcing the CEO to meet those priorities is paramount. Be as clear and transparent as possible in this process. And listen to the CEO if they voice concerns about those priorities or the resources allocated.

• Align on Mission, Strategy, and Success Metrics by Co-creating strategic priorities so the CEO isn’t guessing what “success” looks like.

• Agree on a small set of meaningful KPIs, not excessive reporting.

• Revisit strategy regularly, especially as the external environment changes.

Prioritize Efficiency:

Everyone is very busy! The board is volunteering their time and has competing priorities. The CEO is running an organization. Make sure that you build communications systems that are effective and efficient or they will deteriorate quickly. Do not allow yourselves to let the communication about the work get in the way of performing the work!

• The Board should resolve disagreements internally, not through side conversations with staff.

• Ensure board members do not give conflicting instructions to the CEO and do not reach out directly to staff members with guidance, instructions or requests.

• Empower the board chair to be the primary liaison.

Offer Support:

The CEO is under enormous pressure on a daily basis, usually wearing multiple hats, especially in a small and medium sized organization. The board should be a sounding board, trusted resource, and ally, while also maintaining a professional distance that lets them manage the CEO effectively.

• Stand with the CEO during crises, public criticism, or difficult organizational decisions.

• Share responsibility for setbacks rather than assigning blame.

• Protect the CEO from undue political or donor pressure when appropriate.

• Build the Relationship Beyond the Boardroom by creating informal connection points (retreats, meals, check-ins).

• Learn the CEO’s leadership style and values.

• Acknowledge wins publicly and often.

• Model the Culture You Expect by acting with integrity, humility, and respect.

• Hold yourselves accountable to the same standards you expect of the CEO.

• Live the organization’s values, do not just oversee them.