Teamwork evaluations play a similar role to board health as the individual evaluations we reviewed earlier. Teamwork evaluations allow for a deeper dive into the organizational structure and mechanisms of the board. Just as the individual evaluations provide insight into the areas for growth and new board members to fill needed roles, a teamwork evaluation can illuminate where your board is strong and where it can improve.

These evaluations are critical in understanding the bigger picture of your board. They ask if the board has and adheres to legally required policies, if the board is fulfilling its obligations in the three duties: care, loyalty and obedience, and generally how the board communicates and functions ensuring inclusivity, trust and participation. 

Teamwork Evaluation Worksheet

Teamwork evaluations can be easier to conduct than individual evaluations but both should be done in conjunction with each other in order to understand where your board stands and where it needs to go in terms of board development. We recommend that both the individual and teamwork evaluations happen on an annual basis and not just in times of crisis. By making the evaluations part of annual standard operating procedures, you reduce the likelihood of personal slights while also rolling the ongoing understanding of board health into a board development regime.

The key components of all evaluations are review, understanding and action. Evaluations are most effective when you have a dedicated committee, such as a board development committee, assigned with organizing the evaluation process and creating a strategy to address the issues brought up in the surveys. Lack of action can be detrimental to the overall health of an organization, losing trust in the board, a negative attitude and tone and reduced participation levels of board members.

Teamwork Evaluation Worksheet

With anything, the individual and team evaluations we propose cannot be done in a vacuum and should be a component of an overall board development regime. This guide is a simple way of beginning the process as are our follow-up webinars and individual board trainings, but beyond the retreats and big lifts, board development is a continuing effort that must be undertaken that is why we recommend you create a board development committee which is tasked with ongoing information sharing and organizational reflection at every board meeting.

If you would like more information on our Board Basics Training, the Board Basics Guide, upcoming webinars or individual trainings, please feel free to contact us here.