How to Identify and Work on Your Board’s Reputation

When CEOs are busy coping with the day-to-day activities of their governance role, they forget to check on and an important factor: Board Governance. Shaping the reputation of a board is not a piece of cake. Internal and external stakeholders may have different opinions about the board depending on their individual experiences. Nonetheless, it is essential to remember that positive reputation encourages trust. Disregarding stakeholder inputs and failure to deliver on promises made can stir up distrust which is difficult to overcome.

Following are the six issues related to the board’s reputation, ones that you should be aware of as a CEO or an ED:

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First, find out if your board has a clear and evident positive image. Is the image same for all the board members independently? If your stakeholders do not currently perceive your board in a positive light it may be possible that the board has not effectively communicated how it wishes to be perceived.

Benefits

Stakeholders often think of the benefits the board can bring to them. They also analyze and demand transparency in board decisions to know what’s in store for them.

Culture

What are your board values? Are these values defined in certain behavioral terms? Are they evaluated to confirm that they are practiced? Remember, stakeholders want to see values in action.

Character

Stakeholders are concerned with the character of the board. What actions or strategies does the board implement to ensure it is perceived as an honest, open and integrated decision making board? They would like to know if you take responsibility for building the character and evaluating their actions.

Consciousness

The board can only set its messages when it knows what its stakeholders think and not in isolation. When this scan is complete, it is important that the messages outlined are consistently communicated in all words, actions and deeds by the board.

Roots

A positive reputation creates trust and at times, depending on the purpose of your board, an emotional attachment. So, be open to share your roots with them.

The bottom line is if you are competing for clients, users, or consumers, your overall reputation can make your board stand out from the others and, in turn, protect your market share because they will automatically think of your organization first. Also, a strong reputation can help the board establish value and the intangibles that are beneficial for your organization.

For more information on board reputation or other topics related to board governance, you might want to read the handbook: Creating a Functional Board by Brenda Kelleher-Flight.

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How to Identify and Work on Your Board’s Reputation