Governance Toolkit
A practical resource kit for boards approaching institutional transitions, fundraises, or governance refreshes. Self-assessment across six dimensions, skills matrix template for your current directors, and committee structure guidance by company stage.
Board Governance Self-Assessment
Rate your organization on each item from 1 (not in place) to 5 (mature and effective). Be honest. This is a diagnostic, not a scorecard to optimize. The gaps are where the value is. Scores save automatically as you go; your dimension averages and total score appear at the bottom.
Board Skills Matrix Template
Map your current directors against the competencies that matter for your stage and sector. Mark each cell as Strong (S), Adequate (A), or Gap (G). A well-composed board has no row with all gaps and no column with only one strong. The matrix below is editable; you can also save your work as a PDF using the action above.
| Competency | Dir. 1 | Dir. 2 | Dir. 3 | Dir. 4 | Dir. 5 | Gap? |
|---|
How to Use This Matrix
- List your current directors across the top columns. Below 5 directors, leave the extra cells blank.
- For each competency row, mark S (strong), A (adequate), or G (gap) for each director.
- The Gap column flags rows where no director rates Strong in that competency.
- Prioritize gaps that matter most for your current stage (see the committee guide below).
- Use this matrix when writing director recruitment briefs for your next board appointment.
Key Principle
You are not trying to fill every cell. You are trying to ensure the board collectively covers the competencies that matter for the next 18 to 24 months. A pre-Series B SaaS company needs financial acumen and scaling experience more than ESG expertise. A pre-IPO company needs all of them.
Committee Structure Guide by Stage
Not every company needs every committee. This guide maps the governance structures that matter at each stage. Build what you need now; plan for what you will need next. Use this alongside the Skills Matrix above to scope your next director appointment or committee formation.