New Board Chair
Reprinted from Healthcare Executive JAN/FEB 2008
Effective board leadership transitions can be facilitated by institutionalizing basic tools and processes. These include setting term limits for those in board leadership positions, periodic evaluations based on clear job descriptions and assessment of potential barriers to successful CEO relationships.
Getting the Best Out of Board Leaders
Term limits for board members have long been recognized as an important tool to help address a variety of issues related to board service. These include preventing burnout; establishing regular opportunities to renew and refresh board talent and bring on new members; and creating a specified time frame in which performance is evaluated and the results are used to determine continued service.
While applying term limits to board leaders is a more recent phenomenon, establishing such limits is recognized as a best practice in governance. Today more hospital and health system boards either have adopted leadership term limits or are considering doing so, recognizing the importance of explicitly marking and preparing for change in important leadership relationships.