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Chairmanship and board effectiveness
The Board Pack Test
Use the board pack to test whether the board is being asked to think or merely to absorb information.
Boardroom questions
- Does the paper make clear what decision is required?
- Is the board being asked to approve, advise, challenge or note?
- Are options and trade-offs visible?
- Is risk presented as a judgement issue, not a compliance appendix?
- What information is missing that would change the decision?
Board papers reveal a lot about board culture. If the pack hides the real question, the meeting usually will too.
Practical use
Review a recent pack and mark where decision rights, trade-offs and unresolved judgement are actually visible.
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