4 Core Principles for Nonprofit Executive Evaluation
Supporting and evaluating the Chief Executive represents a core duty of a nonprofit Board. A thoughtful, planned evaluation process provides an opportunity to celebrate progress and achievements while also sharing constructive feedback on areas for future development. It should be conducted at least once per year. There are many ways in which a Board can fulfill this responsibility, and no one process will be appropriate for every Board. Rather, it is more productive to focus on a set of core principles when framing a Board’s approach to executive evaluation.
Evaluations tied to written job descriptions and annual goals.
In order to facilitate an equitable process, the review should be tied to identified accountabilities and goals. It should also be consistent with the areas of focus described in the strategic plan. This provides a consistent framework or lens through which the Executive and Board can reflect on performance.
Full participation of the Board.
Depending on the size of the Board, it can be unwieldy to require the entire Board to facilitate the review. Some Boards select an officer to lead the process or house the responsibility within a committee such as the Executive Committee. Others will engage an external facilitator to lead the process. Regardless of who facilitates, a core principle is every Board member should have a meaningful opportunity to provide input. This means that the Board must understand and support their obligation to conduct an annual review and must take the time to reflect on the Executive’s performance and share constructive feedback through the mechanism chosen.
Collaborative process design.
Let’s face it -- because of power dynamics, relationships, and a host of other factors, Executive reviews can be uncomfortable for all parties. This probably accounts for the number of nonprofit Executives I speak with who haven’t had any review in years! One way to make the process more comfortable is to involve the Executive in its design. Key questions Board leaders and the Executive can address together include:
Will the Board facilitate the process or engage an external facilitator?
Will the Board be seeking the feedback of any senior staff members as part of the review and if so how?
Will a particular assessment tool or instrument be used?
How will the Executive be afforded the opportunity to provide reflections and information
Commitment to professional development.
Most Executive evaluations reflect instances of accomplishment as well as areas to further develop. If you refer back to the opening sentence of this article, I note that evaluating and supporting the Chief Executive is a core responsibility of the Board. The two go hand in hand. The review provides a needed goal-setting opportunity for the coming year. Additionally, healthy Boards use the annual review as an opportunity to support the Executive’s leadership growth through investment in meaningful professional development. When planned and conducted thoughtfully, an evaluation can be a tremendous way to strengthen the relationship between Board and Executive and keep needed lines of communication open.
The core principles discussed above represent a guide to help your organization conduct an effective evaluation. If you are interested in additional tools and guidance, including information on a facilitated Executive evaluation process, NTC CAN HELP -- contact us!