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Next up in our series of questions on lessons to be shared at the 2011 ASAE Annual Meeting & Expo is a question for Thomas C. Dolan, Ph.D., FACHE, CAE, president and CEO of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and Vernetta Walker, director of consulting at Boardsource. Dolan and Walker will lead an Annual Meeting Learning Lab titled "Board, Assess Thyself."

How do you establish board self-assessment in a way that carries forward year to year, so that the insights gained from the self-assessment don't roll off the board as directors' terms end?

Dolan and Walker: Board self-assessments are an important tool that enable boards to cultivate a culture of good governance. To ensure a continued focus on governance issues over the long term, it is important for board leadership to nurture an environment of accountability and continuous self-improvement. The chair and CEO should reinforce the idea that board transformation occurs over time and that progress will be made only if the board makes governance a priority and works consistently and conscientiously on building and maintaining sound practices and policies. Positioning self-assessments as a priority to help the board identify strengths and necessary changes will help ensure that this best practice is carried forward, even when the leadership changes.

Thanks, Thomas and Vernetta. Readers, please share your thoughts: How do you encourage your boards to make a long-term board transformation a priority?