Executive directors are seriously questioning the value of their boards and their chairman in terms of enhancing the performance of their organisations.

Research carried out by Cranfield School of Management invited all board members from the UK FTSE 350 companies to participate in a survey examining the role, contribution and performance of chairmen and other key members of the board.

The report does not question the quality, integrity and skills of UK chairmen but the results do raise questions of their contribution to board performance - suggesting that some UK chairmen may be edging too far towards either adopting a corporate strategic role, aligning themselves with, and even superseding the CEO, rather than focusing on their key board leadership responsibilities.

There is some evidence of complacency on the part of chairmen, who see their own contribution more favourably than the rest of the board. The research highlights a need for chairmen to clarify and seek greater accountability for their own contributions and to take a more active role in leading the board to promote both coherence and performance.

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