2. Name
Role/
Position on Board
PART ONE – My competencies – a ‘self-assessment’
‘Self-assessment’ refers to you making
judgements about your own achieve-
ments and skills, what you like and what
you don’t like about yourself. It is a tool
to help you stand back and look at your-
self in a new way, to reflect on where
you are now and what you want from the
future.
Competencies are skills - things you can
do – which are acquired through work ex-
perience, life experience, study or train-
ing. They can be knowledge, attitudes,
skills, work values, or personal values.
Competencies you have can be used in all
aspects of life – they are transferable.
It is important for you to assess what you
feel you are competent in and therefore
what you can contribute in your role as a
Board Member.
The following competencies have been
grouped under four headings with defini-
tions for each category and each compe-
tence sub-category.
Please read through each definition
and then grade your strength or weak-
ness against each.
You should think about this in terms of
improvement and development of each
competence – which ones are you com-
fortable with and which ones you have
difficulty with.
Please use the following grades:
PART ONE – My competencies – a ‘self-assessment’
4 Excellent Outstanding strength with no areas for improvement
3 Good Strengths outweigh areas for improvement
2 Satisfactory Some weaknesses which need to be addressed
1 Poor Significant weaknesses which need development
ChairmanChief Admin OfficerChief Diversity OfficerChief Executive OfficerChief Financial OfficerChief Human Resources OfficerChief Information OfficerChief Investment OfficerChief Operating OfficerChief Procurement OfficerChief Risk OfficerChief Sustainability OfficerChief Technical OfficerGeneral CounselNon-Executive DirectorNot Yet AllocatedPresident
3. MANAGING SKILLS
The skilful handling and controlling of resources, programmes and projects.
Communication
Drive & Determination
Problem Solving
Planning & Organising
Decision Making
Initiative
Excellent
4
Good
3
Satisfactory
2
Poor
1
The ability to communicate clearly, accurately and
concisely, orally or in writing, to listen, comprehend and
to check understanding. The ability to transmit infor-
mation to others.
The desire to get things done; the ability to set and
meet challenging goals, create measures of excellence
and constantly seek ways of improving performance;
and the existence of a positive ‘can-do’ mentality, anx-
ious to find ways round obstacles.
The capacity to analyse situations, diagnose problems,
identify the key issues, establish and evaluate alterna-
tive courses of action and produce a logical, practical
and acceptable solution.
The ability to decide on a course of action, ensure that
the appropriate resources are available and schedule
the programme of work required to achieve a defined
end-result.
The ability to make sound and practical decisions which
deal effectively with the issues and are based on thor-
ough analysis and diagnosis.
The capacity to take action independently and with con-
fidence and to assume responsibility for one’s actions,
with the ability to actively influence events rather than
passively accepting them.
Team Working
Influence & Persuasion
People Management
Customer Focus
Leadership
The ability to work co-operatively with other members
of the team towards shared goals and with a full under-
standing of the role to be played as a team member.
The ability to recognise and reward the contribution
of others and to proactively listen and consult with all
team members to build a strong team spirit.
The ability to convince others to agree on or take a
course of action, persuading others to support a view-
point to achieve their participation.
The ability to manage and develop people and gain their
trust and co-operation to achieve results.
The exercise of looking after the interests of external
and internal customers to ensure that their wants,
needs and expectations are met or exceeded.
The capacity to inspire individuals to give of their best
to achieve a desired result, delegating work appropri-
ately and fairly and providing them with development
opportunities, feedback, support, encouragement and
coaching. The ability to motivate and gain respect from
individuals and the team as a whole by providing a clear
direction and setting achievable standards of behaviour.
PEOPLE SKILLS
The skills needed to be able to interact with individuals and groups effectively
4. The ability to generate ideas, concepts and possible
options; to adapt them to different situations and to
identify new ways of doing things.
The ability to gather, analyse and interpret data, verbal
or numerical, about people or situations, with the drive
to seek out information and carry out research.
The ability to evaluate people and situations and to
reach logical, unbiased decisions, interpreting key mes-
sages and meanings.
The capacity to take a long-term and visionary view of
the direction to be followed in the future, looking at
issues in a wider context in order to rise above the day-
to-day detail and to challenge the status quo.
The ability to read, spell and to communicate through
written language.
The confidence and competence to work with numbers
and the ability to solve arithmetic problems with an
understanding of the ways in which numerical data is
gathered by counting and measuring and is presented in
graphs, diagrams, charts and tables.
The ability to understand and analyse financial infor-
mation and take appropriate action. For example, this
may be to improve profits, reduce costs, effect yields,
etc.
The ability to manage all aspects of a business so that it
runs smoothly. This includes interpreting external mar-
ket factors and the interrelationships of many internal
forces such as people, financial and administrative.
Your ability to use IT, such as word-processing, spread-
sheets, databases, email and the internet.
The ability to ensure the systems and processes of the
organisation are run effectively and that they comply
with legislation. The ability to interpret rules and make
sure they are applied.
The ability to promote a business effectively with the
use of advertising, media and PR.
Creativity
Analytical Ability
Judgement
Strategic Perspective
Literacy
Numeracy
Financial Acumen
Business Acumen
IT Skills
Legal / Governance
Acumen
Marketing Acumen
HARD SKILLS
The subjects or disciplines gained via formal education or training and practical working experience.
THINKING SKILLS
The processes that enable us to form reasoned judgements and solve problems.
Interpersonal Sensitivity
Flexibility
The ability to create and maintain open and con-
structive relationships with others, to listen carefully,
respond helpfully to their requests and to be sensitive
to their needs.
The ability to maintain effectiveness within chang-
ing environments, retaining composure and clarity of
thought under pressure. The capacity to adapt to dif-
ferent situations and cope with surprises.
5. Your location
Your occupation
Your interests/hobbies
Your network
Your time availability
Where you live or work – is this convenient in order for you
to support the organisation on a regular basis by popping in,
attending regular meetings etc.?
How well matched is this to the purpose of the organisation or
to your role as a Board Member?
How well matched are these to the purpose of the organisation
or to your role as a Board Member?
How well matched are these to the purpose of the organisation
or to your role as a Board Member?
How does your time availability support your role as a Board
Using a similar approach as Part 1, please grade your level of experience/knowledge
against the key attributes listed below. You should think about this in terms of how
your experience/knowledge contributes to the organisation and assists you in your role
as a Board Member.
Please use the following grades:
Excellent
4
Good
3
Satisfactory
2
Poor
1
PART TWO – My attributes
4 Excellent Perfectly matched – will contribute significantly to the organisation
3 Good Partially matched – some contribution to the organisation or your role
2 Satisfactory Elements of relevance to the organisation or your role
1 Poor Of no relevance to the organisation or your role
What experience/knowledge I bring to the role
6. 10 ways to describe my role as a Board Member:
1. Advisory providing expert advice and knowledge to help the organisation make decisions
and carry out its work
2. Regulatory keeping a close eye on how the organisation complies with its legal and other
requirements
3. Democratic taking particular interest in different stakeholders, to help give the organisa
tion direction and ensure they’re brought into the governance debate
4. Educational stimulating debate, learning and sharing of expertise
5. Participatory seeking and supporting the voices of users of its services in decision-making
6. Networker being an ambassador, promoting the organisation and bringing in important
contacts
7. Involving motivating and developing Board members
8. Visionary bringing passion to the mission of the organisation and inspiring others to be
motivated
9. Leader steering the organisation in the right direction
10. Supporter providing support to the staff and volunteers in the organisation
PART THREE – My role as a Board Member
Using the above definitions, please complete questions 1 – 3.
3. What are my gaps (place in order of priority)
[this will form part of my development plan]
1. Which best describes me?
2. Which least describes me?
AdvisoryRegulatoryDemocraticEducationalParticipatoryNetworkerInvolvingVisionaryLeaderSupporter
AdvisoryRegulatoryDemocraticEducationalParticipatoryNetworkerInvolvingVisionaryLeaderSupporter
AdvisoryRegulatoryDemocraticEducationalParticipatoryNetworkerInvolvingVisionaryLeaderSupporter
AdvisoryRegulatoryDemocraticEducationalParticipatoryNetworkerInvolvingVisionaryLeaderSupporter
AdvisoryRegulatoryDemocraticEducationalParticipatoryNetworkerInvolvingVisionaryLeaderSupporter
AdvisoryRegulatoryDemocraticEducationalParticipatoryNetworkerInvolvingVisionaryLeaderSupporter
AdvisoryRegulatoryDemocraticEducationalParticipatoryNetworkerInvolvingVisionaryLeaderSupporter
AdvisoryRegulatoryDemocraticEducationalParticipatoryNetworkerInvolvingVisionaryLeaderSupporter
AdvisoryRegulatoryDemocraticEducationalParticipatoryNetworkerInvolvingVisionaryLeaderSupporter
7. A board that consists of directors with
a diverse set of functional expertise
(marketing, engineering, finance, etc)
industry experiences, educational qualifi-
cations, ethnic and gender mix are better
equipped to deal with a wide range of
issues facing the organisation and provide
executives with advice and consultation
from multiple perspectives.
The Board Skills Matrix below is similar to
what Vision would carry out when assess-
ing the board strength of any organisa-
tion. This is something you can complete
from your own personal point of view and
the expertise you personally bring to the
organisation.
You will certainly not possess all the skills
required by the board but the whole
board should collectively possess all the
skills needed. When new board members
are nominated, the board should seek to
broaden and strengthen its overall com-
petence using the Board Skills Matrix.
NOTE: Board Matrix Skills are rated 1
to 10
PART FIVE – Expertise (Board Skills Matrix)
Please use the following grades:
9 - 10
Exceptional experience in this area and contribute greatly during
board discussion and to the organisation as a whole
7 - 8
Previous experience in this area and happy to contribute during
board discussions
5 - 6
Some experience in this area and happy to give a personal opinion
during board discussions
2 - 4
Some experience in this area but reluctant to contribute during
board discussions
1 No relevant experience
Yes No
Do you have a copy of the Mem & Arts document?
Are you clear about the organisation’s aims/purposes?
Do you know what the organisation’s legal status is?
Do you know what the legal responsibilities of the Board are?
Do you know what entitles someone to be a Board Member?
Do you know what your personal liability is as a Board Member?
If you represent another organisation, are you clear what your role is?
PART FOUR – My knowledge of the Board’s role
8. Self-Assessment Metrics
Managing Skills / 24
Attributes / 20 (Found in Part Two)
People Skills / 28
Expertise / 92 (Found in Part Five)
Thinking Skills / 16
Hard Skills / 24 Skills, Attributes, Expertise / 282
Board Skills Value / 190
EXPERTISE
Board Experience
Listed Board Experience
Finance
IPO
Fund Raising
REMCO
Audit Committee
M&A
Legal
Technical
Operations
I.T/Technology
Procurement
Human Resources
Public Relations
Sales/Marketing/Brand
Executive Management
Political Relations
External Stakeholder Management
DEMOGRAPHICS
Race or Ethnicity
Gender
Languages
Affiliations
Industry Background
Number of Other Board Roles
Board Skills Matrix
Yourself
Director1
Director2
Director3
Director4
Director5
Director6
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