CEO Performance & Board–CEO Relationship

The dynamics that shape CEO performance and board–CEO alignment

Few responsibilities of the board carry greater consequence than its stewardship of CEO performance and its relationship with the chief executive. At the center of effective CEO oversight are three interdependent responsibilities:

  • First, cultivating a board-CEO relationship grounded in trust, candor, and mutual respect - one that enables the right flow of information and preserves appropriate checks and balances.

  • Second, conducting thoughtful CEO performance evaluations that generate clear, objective, and actionable insight — not as a compliance exercise, but as a tool to sharpen leadership effectiveness.

  • Third, preparing deliberately for leadership continuity through rigorous succession planning, ensuring the organization is never unprepared at moments of transition.

This topic hub brings together Boardspan’s research-informed perspectives and practical frameworks on CEO performance evaluation and assessment, board–CEO alignment and communication, leadership oversight practices, culture as influenced by board dynamics, and succession planning.

Together, these dimensions are foundational to board effectiveness.

Thought Leadership Articles

Webinars

Downloadable Reports & Guides

What CEOs Really Want From Their Boards

We asked CEOs for their views on what makes for an effective board. Here are the 5 things at the top of every CEOs list.

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The Real Work of the Boardroom with P&G's David Taylor [Podcast]

David Taylor, former Chair and CEO of Procter & Gamble and current Chair of Delta Air Lines, joins Boardspan CEO Abby Adlerman for a wide-ranging conversation on the dynamics beneath formal governance.

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The Future Is Now: The Board-CEO Relationship [2026 Outlook]

In 2026, boards will have a delicate balance to strike, ensuring open channels of communication, deepening trust, and intellectually partnering with their top executive, even while leaving space for them to lead, write the strategy, and own the outcomes.

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Management Succession Planning: Why It’s Hard, How to Fix It

Explore why management succession planning remains a top challenge for boards and discover practical steps to overcome common barriers and build a robust succession strategy.

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Board-CEO Relationships: Solid Yet Under Pressure

Confidence in board-CEO relationships has softened. What can boards do to ensure that trust and alignment remain high.

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Management Succession: Still a Weak Spot in Board Oversight

Amid record CEO and C-suite turnover, boards acknowledge that management succession planning remains difficult to get right.

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To explore other core dimensions of board effectiveness in greater depth, visit our collections on:

Board Assessments | Board Governance | Board Recruitment & Succession Planning