CEO Evaluation · Independent Board Advisory
The CEO should not have to guess what the board believes.
I help boards conduct CEO evaluations that are rigorous, fair, and useful—bringing performance, leadership, and future priorities into a candid conversation.
45 minutes · Confidential · No obligation
For board chairs and committee leaders planning a CEO evaluation.
Nearly 100 boards worked with across consulting, governance, and executive roles. More than 15 years assessing, coaching, and advising senior leaders.
What is at stake
Clear expectations make an honest conversation possible.
As a chair, you may hear different views from every director. You still need to help the board reach a considered judgment and deliver it clearly.
As a CEO, you may be carrying responsibility for the whole organization while trying to understand what the board expects, where it has concerns, and what it needs you to do differently.
A useful evaluation gives both sides a clearer basis for that conversation. It recognizes contribution, addresses concerns, and establishes what matters next.
The board evaluates.
I make the process work.
I help clarify the standards, gather relevant evidence, distinguish recurring patterns from isolated opinions, and support a direct conversation with the CEO. The responsibility and judgment remain with the board.
When this work helps
The annual review deserves
more than an annual form.
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The process needs more discipline.
The current review is inconsistent or disconnected from strategy and agreed goals.
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Expectations have shifted.
The board and CEO need a shared understanding of what success now requires.
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Feedback is fragmented.
Directors hold different views, and the board needs to work through them.
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The conversation carries weight.
A relationship is strained, a transition is approaching, or a strong CEO needs the clear feedback rarely available at the top.
The aim is a board that can stand behind its evaluation and a CEO who understands the feedback, has an opportunity to respond, and knows what is expected next.
How we work
Fair enough to trust.
Candid enough to matter.
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Establish the standard
We clarify the role, strategy, goals, leadership expectations, and organizational context. We agree on the process, participants, timing, and how information will be used and shared.
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Gather and make sense of the evidence
The CEO completes a self-assessment. Directors provide confidential input. Relevant results, documents, and selected stakeholder perspectives may also be included. I synthesize the findings, including where views converge and where they differ.
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Align the board and hold the conversation
I help the board work through the evidence and reach a responsible view. The chair or designated directors deliver the evaluation, with my support or facilitation as agreed. The CEO has room to respond and clarify.
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Turn feedback into direction
We translate the evaluation into explicit expectations, development priorities, and a cadence for ongoing feedback. Follow-up helps connect the conversation to what happens next.
Depending on the agreed scope, the engagement may include a written synthesis and evaluation report, a facilitated board executive session, preparation for the feedback conversation, written priorities, and midyear or annual-cycle support.
The timing and scope reflect the board calendar, the complexity of the role, and the evidence the board needs. We agree on these together.
Throughout the process, strengths receive the same seriousness as concerns. Feedback is handled responsibly, and the criteria are understood before conclusions are drawn.
The substance of the evaluation
Performance in context.
Leadership in practice.
The dimensions should fit the CEO’s responsibilities, strategy, and organization. They may include:
- Progress against agreed goals and strategic priorities
- Financial, operational, mission, and stakeholder results
- Judgment and consequential decisions
- Leadership of the executive team, culture, and organizational health
- Board communication, transparency, and working relationships
- Talent development, succession, and adaptability
- Priorities and development for the year ahead
Experience behind the work
I understand the evaluation from both sides of the table.
I have worked with nearly 100 boards as a consultant, served as a board member, and reported directly to governing boards as a chief executive and senior leader.
I know what it is like to carry responsibility for the whole institution while receiving feedback from people who each see a different part of it.
My direct governance experience has been built primarily in nonprofit and public-sector settings. For more than 15 years, I have also assessed, coached, and advised senior leaders across complex organizations.
I bring that experience to work that calls for candor, care, and practical judgment. My role is to help people face what needs attention while protecting their dignity and keeping the organization’s needs in view.
The board retains responsibility for employment and compensation decisions. Where legal, regulatory, compensation, or other specialist questions arise, I work within the process established by the board and its advisors.
A confidential first conversation
What needs to be clearer between your board and CEO?
Let’s talk about the evaluation you are planning, what is at stake, and what a credible process would require.
A confidential 45-minute conversation. No obligation.
If the evaluation is revealing a wider governance issue,
explore Board Effectiveness
