The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is typically the crescendo of the year for most Boards, a high-stakes moment where members depart, and new leaders step up. Among these changes, the transition from one Board Chair to another is the most critical. Because no two leaders approach governance the same way, navigating this shift successfully requires a deep understanding of different leadership styles. Ultimately, the goal is to build an efficient work environment, and that starts with establishing a solid foundation between the incoming Chair and the Executive Director from day one.
Strengthening Your Connection with the Executive Director as the New Board Chair
Building a strong, trust‑based working relationship with your Executive Director (ED) is one of the most important responsibilities you have when stepping into the role of Board Chair. A productive Chair–ED partnership sets the tone for board culture, organizational alignment, and strategic clarity.
With that foundation in place, the next step is to translate that partnership into a few clear early priorities. In practice, that means focusing on:
- • Establishing communication expectations
- • Understanding each other’s working styles
- • Aligning on priorities, risks, and strategic focus
- • Supporting the ED while maintaining appropriate governance boundaries
- • Setting the foundation for candid conversation
A structured yet conversational approach during your first few interactions helps reduce ambiguity and builds confidence. My previous blog on The Power of an Effective Association Board Chair, displays the qualities boards should look for in an effective board chair.
To transform these foundational principles into a working reality, the new Chair and the ED need a dedicated space to connect. This is best achieved through an intentional, one-on-one transition meeting early in the tenure. Rather than letting the relationship develop by trial and error, arriving at this first meeting with a clear, strategic agenda sets a professional tone.
The following targeted questions are designed to jumpstart that conversation, helping you uncover key insights, align priorities, and establish mutual trust from day one.
Top Questions to Ask in a Chair–ED One‑on‑One Meeting
These questions help demonstrate alignment, strengthen governance, and support the ED’s success.
- 1. What are the top three priorities you believe we should focus on over the next quarter, and how can the board best support you?
This helps clarify strategic priorities and ensures the board focuses on what matters most.
- 2. Is there anything currently causing friction, delays, or risk that you think the board should be more aware of?
Encourages transparency and surfaces issues early, reducing surprises.
- 3. How would you prefer we structure our communication rhythm between meetings?
Ensures you build a communication cadence that works for both of you and promotes trust.
- 4. Where do you feel you need support or resources to deliver effectively on the organization’s goals?
Reinforces the board’s role in enabling—not micromanaging—the ED.
- 5. What are your expectations of me as Board Chair, and is there anything you need from me right now?
Opens a healthy dialogue about roles, responsibilities, and working style.
The key message of this blog is open dialogue between the board chair & the executive director. The questions above address the chair’s role in ensuring they understand the executive director, but it is equally important for the ED to ensure the transition of the board chair is supported. My previous blog, discusses how to ensure the board chair is well supported.
Shared Commitment Drives Success
Navigating a leadership transition is never a copy-and-paste process. As an association management company (AMC) ED, I have been exposed to many leadership styles and abilities. No leader is the same, and every organization has distinct needs. In my experience, I have seen firsthand that figuring out how your relationship will best serve the association takes commitment from both the board chair and the ED on working together to achieve the organizational goals.
Ultimately, building a strong working relationship requires more than just a good onboarding process it takes a continuous investment in each other and, above all, COMMUNICATION! Open & honest communication is key in any strong working relationship. By starting with the right questions today, you lay the groundwork for a unified leadership team that can confidently drive the association forward.
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