How to Build a Trusting Board Chair-CEO Partnership

Strong governance depends on a productive partnership between the board chair and the chief executive. Yet I find board culture and alignment between the board chair and executive continue to be among the most pressing challenges facing nonprofits. How can the two build a trusting partnership? 

Understand the Board Chair-CEO Partnership

It is true that the CEO works for the board of directors. They hire the executive, set goals with them and decide on their compensation. The board is essentially the CEO’s boss. It is also true that organizations that run the best have a deep partnership between the board and the CEO, especially between the board chair and the CEO.  

 How does that work? How do you create a great partnership in a relationship with an inherent power imbalance? It can be done with great intention from both parties.  

Build a Culture of Mutual Respect

First, the board chair and the CEO must both believe that a meaningful partnership is possible and desirable. If the board chair prefers an authoritarian structure and the CEO is trying to create a partnership, the two will be at odds. Continual attention to building an organizational culture and belief system based on mutual respect and boundaries is key.  

Define Responsibilities

To respect each other’s job functions and the boundaries that separate the two, everyone involved must first know what those job responsibilities are and the appropriate division of labor. BoardSource distinguishes the chair’s focus on governance and oversight from the CEO’s responsibility for management and implementation. 

When it comes to budgeting, for example, the CEO prepares and proposes the budget, while the board reviews and approves it. Both share responsibility for fiscal stewardship. Similarly, the chair leads board meetings, the CEO ensures members have the information they need, and the two develop meeting agendas together. Clear responsibilities give each person room to do their job while identifying where collaboration is needed. 

Strengthen Communication

Once the structural details are determined, the partnership becomes all about communication: how often, about what and how respectfully. The most successful chair-CEO partnerships communicate often in a combination of structured and unstructured ways. Structured may be a standing meeting once a week to discuss anything relevant. Unstructured may look like emails about specific topics as they arise.  

It is important that the two people agree on formats and times that work for them both. Texting ideas at 11 p.m. is not likely to be appreciated, but texting during work hours may be within an acceptable comfort level. Just make sure whatever you decide works for you both, not just one of you. 

Another part of communication is mutual respect. Here are just a few questions you can ask yourself to help your communication with your counterpart go smoothly.  

• Am I communicating with honesty, clarity and kindness? 
• Am I aware of how my role and positional power might be influencing this conversation? 
• Would this interaction help someone feel safe, valued and heard? 
• Am I making assumptions about the other’s intentions or perspectives without checking them? 
• How am I modeling support and professionalism? 
• Am I following through on commitments made in conversations? 
• Am I providing feedback in a way that is constructive and respectful? 
• Would I be comfortable if this conversation were shared publicly? 

This type of self-reflection can be useful in much of our professional communications, but is especially helpful in relationships that have an inherent power imbalance such as that between the board chair and the CEO.  

Strong leadership takes effort. Two-person leadership takes even more. Together, a nonprofit’s board chair and CEO can become a respectful, strategic, dynamic duo that works well together to further the organization’s mission.