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Committees and Roles / Board Leadership

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Governance Overview

Committees & Roles

Core Oversight Topics

Unlock the Value of the Board-CEO Relationship

NACD’s long-standing Blue Ribbon Commission series, renowned for delivering peer-driven guidance on critical governance topics, presents its 2025 report. This essential resource offers a playbook of actionable recommendations and practical tools that can help boards and CEOs to intentionally build and sustain trust, enable agile decision-making, and lay the groundwork for organizational resilience.

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Key Resources

Our staffʼs suggestions for the best on this topic.

Director Essentials

Board and Director Evaluations

Unlock the power of effective board and director evaluations through strategies for enhancing governance, accountability, and performance.
Director Essentials

Strengthening the Family Business Board

Learn the key considerations related to strengthening the board through the creation of more formal governance and the addition of independent directors.
Survey

2025 Inside the Public Company Boardroom

Discover key insights from the 2025 Inside the Public Company Boardroom report, including changes to director skill sets, which saw an increase in board members with finance and global experience, and board composition.
Director Essentials

Succession Planning for Board and Committee Leaders

Learn four steps that boards can take to strengthen their leadership succession planning processes and practices.
Director Essentials

Board Leadership Structures

Consider the pros and cons of the various types of board leadership structures, including independent chair, combined CEO/chair, executive chair, and nonindependent chair.
Blue Ribbon Commission

Culture as the Foundation: Building a High-Performance Board

Learn how board leaders can be board culture carriers with practical recommendations and dedicated tools.

Tools for Success

Practical tools, templates, and more to put into action at your next meeting.

Boardroom Tool

Independent Board Leader Archetype

Discover the essential qualities for effective independent board leadership—the linchpin of a healthy board–CEO dynamic.
Boardroom Tool

Delegated Authority: Key Roles of the Board and Management

Clarify board and management roles for mutual trust and accountability.
Boardroom Tool

Boardroom Diplomacy: Mastering the Art of Difficult Conversations

Directors can approach sensitive discussions with respect while acknowledging opposing viewpoints and focusing on the best interests of the organization.
Boardroom Tool

Board Leadership Peer-Evaluation

Solicit feedback on the performance of individual directors who serve in leadership roles on the board.
Sample Documents

Documenting Governance

Get started with creating or updating essential board documents.
BOARDROOM TOLL

Applying Board and CEO Evaluations to Improve the Relationship

Support the board-CEO relationship with behavior-focused annual evaluations.
BOARDROOM TOLL

Board’s Role in CEO Well-Being

Proactively support CEO well-being by establishing a culture of openness and trust.

Explore All Board Leadership Content

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Editorʼs Picks

A selection of editorial content from Directorship^® magazine, including online exclusives.

Directorship Magazine

How Boards Can Align AI Leadership Expectations

Explore how boards can ensure their organization has adequate AI leadership.
Online Exclusive

Managing Chaos: How to Future-Proof Your Board

Learn how boards can reassess for whether they are built for what's coming next
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Inside the Boardroom Response to Ongoing Disruption

Directors share strategies for long-term focus despite short-term volatility.

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October 11-14, 2026
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