10 Common Challenges Facing Boards

STRIVE! has been working for more than 12 years with Boards of Directors for publicly traded, private, not-for-profit and volunteer organizations across Canada and in the United States.

10 Common Challenges

1. Lack of clarity regarding the roles of the board and staff


2. Focus on maintaining rather than challenging the status quo by directing the organization to a strong future


3. Insufficient attention and two-way communication by the board to the organizations stakeholders which can lead to potentially damaging and inaccurate assumptions


4. Inadequate or inappropriate criteria and standards for succession planning and selecting Board members


5. Lack of knowledge or understanding about Board member liability and accountability issues


6. Inadequate orientation and training for Directors so that they truly know and understand the organization and assume their leadership role


7. Ineffective meeting protocols and procedures which inhibit decision making


8. Lack of transparency on Board actions and decisions


9. Significant inability for a Board of Directors to function as an effective team, in fact operating dysfunctionally


10. Confusion regarding the expectations of committees