You’ve completed the executive evaluation.
Check.
The report has been read.
Check. Check.
The meetings have been held. The board listened. The executive listened.
Check. Check. And. Check.
Too often, that’s it. The board and executive have done their duty and everyone moves on. But a good evaluation process doesn’t end with a scorecard or a pat on the back – it opens the door to alignment accountability and shared growth. When done right, the evaluation is not a verdict. It’s an inflection point.
Let’s talk about how to move forward.
It’s tempting to treat the executive evaluation like a final exam: check the boxes, submit the report, close the book. But leadership isn’t linear. And an evaluation isn’t a grade – it’s a moment.
For an executive and their board, it is a moment to:
This is where clarity and connection matter most. The real purpose of evaluation isn’t just to assess performance – it’s to strengthen partnership. The insights gathered should spark a conversation about growth, alignment and the year ahead.
If you stop at the evaluation, you miss the opportunity. If you keep going - with intention - that’s where the real value lives.
It’s great when the evaluation goes well. Glowing feedback. Strong results. High trust. The board feels confident. The executive feels supported. Everything’s working.
That doesn’t mean the work is done.
A good evaluation affirms success – but it should also open the door to what’s next. What is this executive uniquely position to do in the year ahead? How can their leadership grow deeper, more strategic, more catalytic? What support will they need to get there?
High-performing leaders especially need:
This is where coaching comes in – not because something’s wrong, but because leadership is always evolving. Coaching a strong executive is about investing in their potential, not fixing a flaw.
And when the board shows up as a thinking partner – not as a judge – it sends a powerful message: “We see your leadership. We believe in it. Let’s keep growing together.”
Sometimes the evaluation reveals real challenges – uneven feedback, missed goals, relational strain, or performance concerns that can’t be ignored.
This is where clarity matters most. And where care and compassion become non-negotiable.
Boards sometimes fall into one of two traps here: they either avoid the hard conversation entirely, or they drop it like a hammer. Neither one works well. Neither one supports growth.
What does work?
The message should be: “We want you to succeed. And we are ready to walk with you through the work.”
Accountability without shame. Expectations without micromanagement. Leadership support that reflects your shared commitment to the mission.
That’s what makes the difference between a difficult conversation and a transformational one.
When the evaluation is complete, the report gets filed – but the workplan is where the future takes shape.
The workplan isn’t just a follow-up task for the executive. It’s a strategic agreement between the board and the executive about what comes next. It’s where goals become aligned expectations – and where the board has a vital role to play.
Too often, boards approve a set of goals and then vanish until the next executive review. But a well-constructed workplan should do more than track performance – it should help guide the board’s own behavior and support strategies.
That means:
When the board sees the workplan as a shared roadmap – not a performance trap – it becomes a tool for alignment, clarity, and momentum.
Every executive operates within a system. And sometimes, that system is what’s making success harder than it needs to be.
If the evaluation surfaces frustration, burnout, confusion, or conflict – it’s worth asking: Are these truly individual performance issues, or are they signs that the board has work to do too?
If the evaluation reveals less-than-glowing community relationships, fundraising gaps, or a lack of vision and strategic direction – it’s worth asking: Is this solely the responsibility of the executive, or are they signs of a breach in the partnership with the board?
Boards shape the environment in which leadership happens. When expectations are unclear, communication is inconsistent, vision is lacking, mission impact is stalling, or the executive feels isolated – the board’s own habits and culture may be part of the problem.
When this happens, the question becomes: What needs to shift in the board’s own behavior, structure, or culture to support the executive’s success?
That might mean:
When boards are willing to grow alongside their executive, trust deepens. And so does impact.
A performance-driven evaluation process isn’t a one-time event. It’s a reflection of your organizational culture – how you give feedback, how you communicate across roles, and how you support leadership and hold each other accountable.
And. Coaching isn’t just something you do when there is a problem. It’s how you grow a partnership. It’s how you signal, over and over: “We’re with you. We believe in what we’re building. And we’re in this together.”
The best organizations don’t just evaluate their executives.
They coach them.
They challenge them.
They align around them.
And they model a leadership culture that’s worthy of the mission they serve.
