A chair of a national commission once told me, “Our board is fine, we trust each other.” Six months later, three directors were under investigation, two strategic projects had stalled, and the CEO stopped attending meetings.
The Company Secretary called again, not for strategy support, but for crisis recovery. Most board failures do not begin with fraud or scandal.
They begin with blind spots, unchecked assumptions, unchallenged behaviours, and unmeasured effectiveness. The boardroom is the cockpit of your institution. If you never check the instruments, do not be shocked when the organisation crashes.
The truth is simple:
Boards that are not trained fall behind.
Boards that are not evaluated become complacent.
Boards that do not adapt become irrelevant.
Why your board needs training and evaluation now
- To reset roles and boundaries. Many board conflicts stem from unclear lines between oversight and execution.
- To enhance strategic oversight. Directors must be trained to ask the right questions not just read board packs.
- To prevent groupthink. Evaluation exposes comfort zones, dominance patterns, and dead weight.
- To comply with global governance standards. Every top-tier institution evaluates its board annually. It is not optional; it is best practice.
- To protect the Chair and CEO. A well-evaluated board protects leadership from political landmines and misaligned decisions.
“Your board is either your greatest asset or your most expensive liability. Which one is yours?”
How does Summit Consulting support elite boards?
At Summit Consulting, we do not run board workshops. We transform boards.
Here is what a high-impact board governance intervention looks like:
- Board Diagnostic MRI – using the ACT approach. A full-scope governance scan across 8 dimensions: roles clarity, culture, committee effectiveness, risk oversight, succession planning, strategic foresight, board-CEO dynamics, and performance tracking.
- Director 1-on-1 Interviews. Confidential, structured conversations with each board member to understand real dynamics, not just what is said in the room.
- Board Training Masterclass. Practical, locally relevant sessions that challenge sacred cows and build courage, clarity, and competence. No PowerPoint fatigue. Just high-level insight and guided discussion.
- Chair Coaching & CEO-Board Interface Reset. Private mentoring for the chair and the CEO to strengthen alignment, manage tensions, and create a working partnership anchored in mutual respect.
- Board Evaluation Report & Action Plan. A detailed report highlighting blind spots, strength areas, governance risks, and tailored recommendations. Delivered with actionable next steps and a follow-up dashboard.
- Post-Training Board Engagement Tracker. An optional digital support tool to track implementation of resolutions, director participation, and committee performance. Measurable governance in action.
The best boards are not lucky, they are built. If you are serious about governance, do not wait for an Auditor General report or a scandal to call for help.
Contact Mr Strategy: +256782610333 at Summit Consulting Ltd for a confidential board effectiveness check-in. Whether you are a regulatory authority, a public agency, or a private sector giant, we tailor the governance journey to your context.
