Evaluation of individual board members

How do you evaluate board members professionally and effectively?

Are you curious about how to evaluate individual board members in a professional, confidential, and development-oriented way?

OnlineBoardEvaluations.com conducts evaluations of board members by identifying personal strengths and potential, thereby positively influencing each member’s development and, in turn, the team dynamics and effectiveness of the whole board.

Each evaluation is carried out with integrity, discretion, and full confidentiality – with a focus on insight, renewal, and measurable improvement.

Why is the evaluation of individual board members important?

Value-creating boards consist of competent, self-aware individuals who understand both their personal contributions and their shared responsibility.

Individual board member evaluations are much more than complying with the corporate governance code. They provide valuable insight into individual strengths and development areas and give each member inspiration on how they can contribute even more meaningfully to the board’s work. This insight also helps the nomination committee identify which competencies and personal qualities the board possesses, any “blind spots” regarding what is required to deliver on the company’s/organization’s strategy, and which criteria will be essential when defining the recruitment profile for new board members.

At OnlineBoardEvaluations.com, we conduct evaluations of individual board members that:

• Build trust and accountability within the board
• Provide the best possible foundation for constructive and value-creating annual one-on-one feedback sessions between each member and the chair
• Identify concrete opportunities for individual development
• Strengthen collaboration and board culture
• Make it easier to have a qualitative, objective discussion about which criteria should form the basis for future board recruitments
• Ensure that the board complies with the corporate governance code regarding individual evaluation

What does an evaluation of a board member include?

If you are considering how board members should be evaluated, OnlineBoardEvaluations.com offers these options – depending on the board’s maturity, culture, and objectives:

• Simple individual evaluation

A quick and focused process where board members evaluate each other anonymously via an online survey consisting of three open questions. It is confidential, efficient, and provides clear insight into how each member’s contribution is perceived by their board colleagues and the most relevant senior executives – ideal for establishing a baseline of members’ personal strengths and effectiveness.

• Board Cognitive Diversity Profiling™ (CDP)

This is a process in which board members evaluate each other anonymously using our structured online survey, which consists of normative and ipsative questions.

The result provides the member with deeper insight into how board colleagues and selected senior executives experience their contributions in terms of professional competencies, experience, and working style. In addition, each member gains an overview of their strengths relative to the other members (all in an anonymous format), as well as the board's overall strengths and any “white spots.” If the survey is repeated later, it is also possible to quantitatively measure individual and collective progress and changes over time.

• External individual assessment

If an external (third-party) personal evaluation of board members is desired, we refer to Leadership Advisor Group.

How is the evaluation of individual board members reported?

Before the evaluation begins, the board decides how individual reports should be shared. The options include:

• Reports are shared only with the respective member, or
• Reports are shared with the chair and the respective member to support one-on-one feedback sessions, or
• Reports are shared with the Nomination Committee and the respective member to support structured reflection and succession planning.

For the evaluation of the chair, it's good practice to share the results with the full board to promote openness and mutual understanding.

All reports are confidential and presented in a constructive and development-oriented format. No one will be able to see who has answered what.

What makes OnlineBoardEvaluations.com’s evaluation of individual board members unique?

With us, individual board member evaluation is:

• Independent: We are not affiliated with executive search firms, audit firms, or digital board platforms.
• Experience-based: For more than a decade, we have worked daily with international boards and built deep insight into global board behavior and dynamics as well as “best board practices.”
• Development-oriented: We focus on each board member’s strengths and potential for growth.
• Data-driven: The results are based on systematically collected data on how each board member is perceived by their peers and how they have demonstrated in practice that they create value.

The result: independent, evidence-based feedback that is both discreet and action-oriented, helping boards and their members continuously increase their value creation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes an individual board member evaluation effective?
An effective evaluation is independent, confidential, and focused on behavior, contribution, and potential. It provides balanced feedback and clear next steps for development.

Should the evaluation of individual board members be combined with a board evaluation?
Yes, it can be an advantage. The combination creates a holistic picture – linking individual contributions to the board’s overall effectiveness and team dynamics. However, evaluation of individual board members can also be conducted independently of a board evaluation if the purpose is to gain insight into each board member’s contribution and the board’s collective professional and personal capabilities.

How often should individual board members be evaluated?
We recommend a more in-depth individual evaluation every 2–3 years, supplemented by a simple personal online evaluation in the intervening years. This aligns well with most national governance codes.

How is an individual board member's evaluation report shared?
Before the process begins, we agree on sharing preferences with the board. Reports are typically given to each member and the chair, but may also be shared with the Nomination Committee to support development dialogues and future recruitment processes.

What is the first step if we want to get started?
Independent, individual evaluation is one of the most effective ways to ensure that each board member – and the board as a whole – creates as much value as possible. If you are considering conducting a professional, confidential individual evaluation, we are eager to discuss how we can collaborate to support the board’s effectiveness.

Ready to strengthen the individual value creation of board members?

Independent, individual evaluation is one of the most effective ways to ensure that each board member – and the board as a whole – creates as much value as possible. If you are considering conducting a professional, confidential individual evaluation, we are eager to discuss how we can collaborate to support the board’s effectiveness.