---
title: "Board-CEO Relationships Are G… | Insights — Lyoen & Partners"
url: https://lyoenandpartners.com/insights/board-ceo-relationships-are-good-but-challenged
description: "BoardSpan 2025 Board Performance Benchmark Report (Sep 15, 2025) \"Board-CEO Relationships Are Good But Challenged\" finds board-CEO relationship scores ran…"
lang: en-US
---

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Monday, September 15, 2025strategy

# Board-CEO Relationships Are Good But Challenged

BoardSpan 2025 Board Performance Benchmark Report (Sep 15, 2025) "Board-CEO Relationships Are Good But Challenged" finds board-CEO relationship scores rank in the top half of nearly 60 governance performance dimensions measured in 2025 — trust remains high, yet alignment with management is challenging. Specific tensions: boards drifting into operational decisions undermine CEO authority, generate team confusion, slow work, harm morale and can drive CEO exit; CEOs respond poorly to board tones suggesting directors think they could do the job better. Recommendations: clearly articulate which responsibilities belong to board, management or shared; run an annual CEO review covering hard and soft skills with constructive feedback after every board meeting; respond professionally and empathetically to unexpected news to encourage ongoing transparency. Direct frame for SEA mid-market boards.

Sources

BoardSpan (https://boardspan.com/2025-board-performance-benchmark-report/board-ceo-relationship)

Topic: Boardroom Performance: https://lyoenandpartners.com/insights/topic/boardroom-performance

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