It’s easy to see your Board of Directors as a formality—an oversight group that meets quarterly, reviews the numbers, asks a few questions, and signs off on decisions.
But great CEOs know better.
They know a high-functioning Board isn’t just a governance requirement—it’s a strategic advantage. And trust is the currency that powers it.
According to PwC, 76% of CEOs trust their Boards to engage with shareholders, and 68% believe their Boards make decisions aligned with company values. That level of trust doesn’t happen by accident. It’s earned—deliberately, consistently, and from the top down.
Here’s how the best CEOs do it:
1. Be Transparent—Even When It’s Uncomfortable
Transparency is the first step toward trust. The best CEOs know that hiding issues from the Board only delays impact—and erodes credibility.
When in doubt, share.
This doesn’t mean flooding them with every operational detail. It means being candid about the good, the bad, and the uncertain. Especially with the Board Chair. A strong relationship with the Chair is foundational. Not only can they guide priorities and focus the agenda, but they often become the CEO’s most valuable sounding board.
CEO Insight: If you want your Board to be a strategic partner, you must give them a full view—not just the highlight reel.
2. Invest in the Relationship with Your Board Chair
Elite CEOs don’t wait for the Board Chair to initiate check-ins—they proactively build the relationship. This alignment ensures the Board is focused on the right issues and makes every meeting more productive.
But it doesn’t stop there. CEOs must go beyond the Chair.
Board members aren’t just names on a roster—they’re people with unique expertise, perspectives, and influence. Great CEOs connect with them one-on-one, at least once or twice a year, to cultivate trust and understand what drives them.
CEO Insight: You don’t manage a Board—you build relationships with individual directors. That’s where real trust begins.
3. Reach Out to Individual Directors
A truly effective CEO doesn’t just engage the group—they engage the individuals within the group.
One-on-one conversations deepen trust, open lines of communication, and allow directors to become stronger champions of the company’s mission. It also prevents misalignment from festering silently between meetings.
CEO Insight: These conversations aren’t just updates—they’re invitations to collaborate, challenge, and contribute.
4. Expose Your Leadership Team to the Board
Trust doesn’t just flow between the CEO and the Board—it extends to the executive team.
When you allow your leadership team to present during Board meetings, two powerful things happen:
- Your Board gains visibility into the depth of your talent.
- Your team gains invaluable exposure and experience.
It also frees you up to observe—how your team handles pressure, how the Board responds, and where the gaps are in alignment or understanding.
CEO Insight: If you shield your team from the Board, you rob both of the chance to grow.
The CEO’s Call to Action
Board trust isn’t a box to check. It’s a relationship to cultivate. And if you’re not investing in it, you’re missing one of the most powerful levers of strategic growth.
So ask yourself:
- Do you have a relationship of trust and transparency with your Board Chair?
- Have you spent time—individually—with each Board member this year?
- Is your Board involved in strategy, or stuck in reporting mode?
- Does your leadership team have exposure and voice in the boardroom?
If not, now is the time to change that.
Because when trust runs deep, your Board becomes more than a formality. It becomes a force multiplier.