The ultimate "measure" is membership approval of Board annual activities at the association's AGM. Some associations take this process very seriously, while others just request formal membership approval of Board activities through a motion at the AGM. In either case, there is value to creating a mechanism to assess Board effectiveness, whether this mechanism is used internally within the Board (to stay on task), or shared widely within the association.

There are numerous "best practice" tools that can be accessed to develop a template to measure Board effectiveness.

Tools are often best if they also include an element of professional development for the Board as a whole - while it is important for the Board to remain focused on their priorities and responsibilities, it is also important for them to have mechanisms that encourage positive thought and input into Board behaviour and method that can ultimately improve effectiveness.
In all instances, using the association's Strategic Plan objectives as a central component of measuring Board effectiveness is important in keeping the association "on task" and grounded in its intent.

Ian Moss
Canadian Olympic Committee