Question 01 of 08
How often does the board formally meet?
Leadership meetings count — if they behave like a board.
When something breaks Ad hoc — when diaries allow Most months, though it slips A fixed monthly or six-weekly cycle, never skipped
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Question 02 of 08
What does a typical meeting spend most time on?
Be honest about the last three, not the ideal one.
Whatever's loudest that week Reviewing last month's numbers A mix of review and forward decisions A forward agenda set in advance — decisions framed before the room
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Question 03 of 08
What arrives before the meeting?
The paper test: could someone decide from what was circulated?
Nothing — we talk A data dump the night before Reports circulated, quality varies Short decision-framing papers, sent early, read by all
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Question 04 of 08
What happens to actions agreed?
Follow-through is where most boards quietly fail.
Honestly? They evaporate The founder chases what they remember Minuted with owners — review is patchy Minuted with owners and dates, reviewed first at every meeting
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Question 05 of 08
Who reliably challenges the CEO's thinking?
“Reliably” means every cycle, in the room.
No one — everyone reports to them A friend or family member, informally An advisor or investor, occasionally An independent NED or chair, every cycle
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Question 06 of 08
Is it written down what's reserved for the board vs management?
Matters reserved and delegated authority — the quiet backbone.
Nothing is in writing It's understood, not written Partly documented, out of date Written, current and actually used
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Question 07 of 08
How fast could the board see true cash and margin today?
Not the bank balance — the position you'd defend to a buyer.
Weeks — that's the accountant's job Days, with effort Within a day or two Same day — live, trusted management information
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Question 08 of 08
When did the board last seriously discuss what could kill the business?
Risk and horizon, not the risk register.
Never Years ago — or when it nearly did Annually, as a tick-box They're standing agenda items
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Board Maturity Score — your result
Your score
Scored
Ref MFR / — — Self-assessment · 8 questions
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0 / 100
55 = management meeting territory · 80 = institutional habits
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Your two sharpest gaps
↑ opens your mail app, results pre-filled — or send via the site instead →
Download score card (PNG)
Copy LinkedIn post
A note on honesty. Eight questions score habits, not outcomes — a high score doesn't make a strategy right, and a low one is fixable in a quarter. Treat the grade as a mirror, not a verdict; the gaps are where to look first.
01 Blunt by design Eight questions a chair would actually ask — scored against what good looks like at SME scale, not PLC theatre.
02 Your gaps, named The two weakest answers become your two sharpest gaps, each with the practical fix a board paper would propose.
03 Share the score Download the score card or copy a ready-made post — then see where your peers' boards land.
04 Then go deeper The full Board Advisory Diagnostic turns five strategic questions into a tailored engagement recommendation.
