Board evaluation template

Strategy

Examine how well the board contributes to strategy: shaping direction, testing assumptions, and holding the balance between oversight and involvement.

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Strategy
How to use this template

Sample strategy questions

Strategy is where the board adds much of its value, and where the line between governing and managing is hardest to hold. This template helps the board assess whether it engages with strategy at the right altitude, tests the right assumptions, and spends its time where it matters.

These questions are a sample of the BoardOutlook strategy diagnostic. The complete diagnostic is intended to be used on the BoardOutlook platform.

  • The board allocates sufficient time to strategy rather than operational detail.
  • The board constructively tests the assumptions underlying the strategy.
  • Directors understand the organisation’s strategy and their role in overseeing it.
  • The board engages with strategy continuously, not only at an annual offsite.
  • The board balances support for management with independent challenge.
Why it matters

Why strategy oversight matters

Boards that under-invest in strategy tend to oversee execution of a direction they never fully tested. The result is diligent governance of the wrong things.

A structured review of the board’s role in strategy helps it engage earlier, challenge better, and hold the balance between supporting management and providing independent perspective.

Why strategy oversight matters

More than a template

The BoardOutlook platform delivers dramatically better board evaluations, and tracks your progress over time.

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Questions

Strategy FAQs

What is the board’s role in strategy

The board does not set strategy in isolation; it shapes, tests and approves the direction management proposes, and monitors execution against it.

How do we know we’re at the right altitude

A good sign is that board discussion focuses on assumptions, options and risks rather than operational detail. This template helps surface where the balance has drifted.

How often should strategy be on the agenda

Effective boards treat strategy as a continuous thread through the year, not a single annual offsite.

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  • The strategy template, plus 12 more topics
  • Tested across hundreds of organisations
  • Ready for questionnaires or facilitated discussion

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