Accelerated strategic execution through enhanced board chair-CEO partnership
Board chair and CEO struggled to establish an effective partnership, impacting organizational performance and board effectiveness.
"Our muted board chair-CEO dynamic was holding us back strategically."
-Governance committee chair
A private biotech organization’s board chair-CEO relationship began to falter, threatening the organization’s strategic momentum. Despite each possessing individual track records of success, the new board chair and tenured CEO struggled to build an effective partnership. What began as a disconnect in their working relationship quickly evolved into broader governance challenges, impacting board effectiveness and strategic execution at critical points.
Date
October 31, 2024The client
Confidential
The challenge
New board chair and established CEO needed to transform their relationship from transactional to strategic
The signs of strain in the board chair-CEO relationship had manifested in subtle but significant ways: strategic decisions stalled, information flow between management and board became constrained, and board engagement declined as directors sensed the underlying apathy. Organizational agility slowed when the board chair and CEO opted for brief check-ins in place of active strategic collaboration. To drive value creation and execute strategies effectively, the organization needed to transform this crucial partnership from a simple reporting structure into a dynamic and collaborative partnership.
The solution
Evidence-based board chair-CEO relationship assessment and development program
Realize recognized that success hinged on two key components: 1) comprehensive evaluation of current board chair-CEO dynamics; and 2) building a structured framework for a sustainable partnership between these key leaders.
Through our structured evaluation process, relationship development framework, and executive coaching, Realize successfully transformed this critical leadership partnership. Our approach strengthened strategic decision-making, board effectiveness, boosted organizational resilience, and built greater confidence in the organization’s leadership and governance.
Our approach and methodology
Building trust and mutual respect was essential for a successful partnership between the leaders. To accurately assess the partnership dynamics, Realize conducted a comprehensive evaluation involving confidential surveys and interviews with the board chair, CEO, select board members, and senior management. The assessment centred on six key areas: communication patterns, strategic alignment, role clarity, trust and respect, decision-making processes, and mutual support mechanisms.
Realize analyzed communication patterns and effectiveness, exploring how information flowed between these key leaders. Strategic alignment and vision sharing were evaluated to ensure both leaders were moving in the same direction. Roles and boundaries were clearly defined to reduce friction and overlap. In addition, decision-making processes were refined to improve efficiency while maintaining governance quality.
The board chair-CEO partnership evaluation was paired with facilitated joint sessions and individual strengths-based coaching to activate findings and build stronger partnership habits. Regular check-ins and structured feedback loops ensured sustainable improvement in the relationship.
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About us
Realize Solutions is an award-winning B Corp-certified team that designs practical solutions for organizations with complex problems in the areas of board governance, organizational development, and people.
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