2025 NACD Blue Ribbon Commission
Building a High-Trust Board-CEO Relationship
This report is for NACD members only.
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.
Explore the Report:
- Meet the Blue Ribbon Commission: Learn about the 25 Commission members who shaped the report.
- Letter from the Cochairs: Gain perspective from the Commission leaders on the report’s actionable guidance.
- The Case and Call for Action: Understand escalating pressures, relationship barriers, and the need for a trust-based partnership.
- Recommendations for Action: Discover three key steps and nine recommendations for building a high impact board-CEO relationship.
- Toolkit for Action: Access 12 practical tools to implement the recommendations and strengthen the relationship.
Explore The Report
The Case and Call for Action
Recommendations for Action
Toolkit for Action
2025 Blue Ribbon Commission Cochairs
Wayne Peacock
Cochair
Former CEO and President, USAA
Elizabeth Dole Foundation (Vice Chair)
Dona Young, NACD.DC®
Cochair
Former Chair, President, and CEO, The Phoenix Companies
Foot Locker (Former Nonexecutive Chair), Spahn & Rose, USAA, NACD
Letter from the Cochairs
Nine Recommendations for Building a High-Trust-Board-CEO Relationship
Build the Trust Foundation
Intentionally set the parameters of the collaborative and constructive partnership and revisit them regularly to reinforce mutual trust over time.
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Operationalize Trust
Embed trust-building activities into formal board processes and informal interactions to reinforce and sustain the established trust foundation.
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Leverage Trust for Strategic Impact
Maximize the board’s strategic value and strengthen the CEO’s confidence in the board.
Read MoreToolkit for Action
12 practical tools to implement the recommendations and strengthen the relationship.
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Tool 1
Delegated Authority: Key Roles of the Board and Management
Define board and management roles for mutual trust and accountability.
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Tool 2
Aligning the CEO and Board Through Compensation
Strategic compensation decisions for the board throughout the CEO life cycle
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Tool 3
CEO’s Role in Executive Compensation Design
Align the role of the CEO and board on the approach to executive compensation.
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Tool 4
Case Study: Establishing Board-CEO Clarity and Trust
A blueprint to build a strong board-CEO relationship through shared expectations and candid dialogue
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Tool 5
Setting Strategy: A Road Map for the Board’s Engagement with Management
Enhance the board’s engagement in the strategy process through seven key steps.
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Tool 6
Independent Board Leader Archetype
Discover the essential qualities for effective independent board leadership—the linchpin of a healthy board-CEO dynamic.
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Tool 7
Red Flags in the Board-CEO Relationship
Benchmark your board-CEO relationship and turn red flags to green by strengthening communication, aligning goals, and more.
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Tool 8
Applying Board and CEO Evaluations to Improve the Relationship
Support the board-CEO relationship with behavior-focused annual evaluations.
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Tool 9
Executive Sessions Effectiveness Checklist
Three key steps to enhance executive sessions and support a strong board-CEO relationship
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Tool 10
Board’s Role in CEO Well-Being
Proactively support CEO well-being by establishing a culture of openness and trust.
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Tool 11
Enhancing the Board’s Role as Strategic Advisor
Unlock the board’s strategic value by balancing oversight with guidance on issues within management’s authority.
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Tool 12
Clean-Sheet Approach to Board Composition
Enhance the assessment of board composition and mapping of board skills to support alignment to CEO success.