Board evaluation template

Board-management relationship

Review the working relationship between the board and management: clarity of roles, trust, information flow and constructive challenge.

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How to use this template

Sample board-management relationship questions

The board-management relationship is where governance meets execution. This template helps both sides assess whether roles are clear, information flows well, and the relationship balances support with independent challenge.

These questions are a sample of the BoardOutlook board-management relationship diagnostic. The complete diagnostic is intended to be used on the BoardOutlook platform.

The boundary between the board’s role and management’s role is clear and respected.
Information flows openly and honestly between management and the board.
The board supports management while providing genuine independent challenge.
Management values the board’s contribution and engages with it constructively.
Issues and bad news reach the board early rather than late.

Why it matters

Why the board-management relationship matters

When the relationship works, the board adds perspective without interfering, and management surfaces issues early. When it does not, information gets filtered and problems arrive late.

Reviewing the relationship from both sides clarifies roles, improves information flow, and builds the trust that lets challenge be constructive rather than adversarial.