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.
Governance Resources
Board Leadership
Lead with Clarity, Govern with Purpose
Committees & Roles
Trending Oversight Topics
Governance Research
Governance Surveys
Directorship Magazine
Build a Stronger, More Effective Board
Effective board leadership creates clarity around roles, focuses board time, and strengthens the board–CEO relationship. NACD resources help new and experienced board chairs and lead independent directors lead productive meetings, support director engagement, plan for leadership succession, and improve board performance.
Featured Webinar
Strategy Execution Oversight: Insights from the 2026 Blue Ribbon Commission
Hear from commissioners on how boards can align with management, monitor execution, and calibrate oversight as strategy and business conditions evolve.
October 22, 2026 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT
Clarify Your Leadership Role
Clarify responsibilities, authority, and expectations.
Lead Board Effectiveness
Shape meetings, culture, information flow, and director engagement.
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Online Exclusive
How Chairs Drive Board Performance
Effective board leaders build relationships, showcase expertise, set high standards, and seek differing views.
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Blue Ribbon Commission
Culture as the Foundation: Building a High-Performance Board
Explicitly use culture as an instrument to drive board excellence in today’s complex environment.
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Director Essentials
Board and Director Evaluations
Unlock effective evaluations through strategies for enhancing governance, accountability, and performance.
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Director Essentials
Board Calendars and Meeting Agendas
Learn how to shape meaningful board discussions and ensure timely consideration of key issues.
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Director Essentials
Board Packs: The Elephant in the Boardroom
Turn board materials into a driver of board and organizational performance.
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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.
Strengthen Board-CEO Relationship
Support trust, candor, alignment, and clear governance boundaries.
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Blue Ribbon Commission
Executive Sessions Effectiveness Checklist
Three key steps to enhance executive sessions and support a strong board-CEO relationship
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Blue Ribbon Commission
Building a High-Trust Board-CEO Relationship
Learn how boards and CEOs can build trust, improve candor, and maintain alignment through practical guidance.
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Blue Ribbon Commission
Improving Board-Management Relations: Tips for Effective Meeting Engagement
Maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of pre-read board materials, agendas, presentations, and meeting discussions
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Blue Ribbon Commission
Red Flags in the Board-CEO Relationship
Identify warning signs of eroding trust, misalignment, and communication breakdowns before they undermine the board–CEO relationship.
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Blue Ribbon Commission
Aligning the CEO and Board Through Compensation
Connect compensation decisions to strategic goals, performance expectations, and the behaviors that support trust and alignment.