What we looked at
This article is based on aggregated findings from online board evaluations completed by around 1,500 respondents (board members and executives working directly with boards.
The uncomfortable pattern
When we look at the lowest-rated statements across evaluations, the same themes repeat: succession depth, succession exposure, off-boarding processes, and individual feedback to board members. In plain language: many boards are confident in how the room works today, but much less confident in how leadership continuity and board renewal are handled.
What is rated lowest
Across all evaluations, the lowest averages include the strength of the CEO, CFO, and key executive succession bench; the strength of the Chair, Deputy Chair, and Committee Chair succession bench; transparent off-boarding processes; sufficient board exposure to succession candidates; and regular individual feedback for board members.
These are not “nice to have” topics. They are core to the board’s stewardship role.
Why boards get stuck here
Succession and off-boarding are emotionally loaded. They require long-term thinking, uncomfortable conversations, and structured follow-up across multiple cycles. They also demand clarity about what good looks like, not only who is well-liked.
And individual feedback at board level often fails for the same reason feedback fails everywhere: it is easier to avoid than to do well.
A practical reset
If a board wants to be serious about these areas, it often helps to start with three simple commitments:
- Make succession a standing strategic topic, not an annual ritual
- Create structured exposure to successors, not only paper-based updates
- Treat board member feedback as a normal performance practice, not a personal critique
One question that helps
If the CEO or Chair left unexpectedly tomorrow, would we be calm, or would we scramble? The answer is usually the real KPI.
Closing thought
Many boards do well on tone, dialogue, and meeting dynamics. The bigger risk is what happens between meetings and across years: pipeline, renewal, and continuity. That is where resilience is built.
If you want to explore how to build more robust succession and renewal practices, feel free to reach out.
Interested in self-evaluation? Try Online Board Evaluations
Well-aligned with national corporate and foundation/charity governance codes, our board clients usually conduct an external board evaluation every three years. However, most national governance codes recommend that boards perform a self-evaluation in the years between external board evaluations. Therefore, we have developed OnlineBoardEvaluations.com, a tool enabling boards to self-evaluate effectively and effortlessly every year.