Aligned, not entangled: The quiet partnership that shapes governance from the top

When the relationship between the chair and chief executive is working well, governance hums. When it’s not, even the best strategy can falter.

Rob Facer

Rob Facer CMInstD, Managing Director of GC Group Management and an experienced governor, knows the importance of getting this dynamic right – and the risks when it goes wrong.

“It’s got to be a healthy relationship,” says Facer. “One with mutual trust, mutual understanding and mutual respect. But also one where both parties are very clear on their responsibilities and where the boundaries are.”

He says it starts with alignment. “You need agreement on direction and timeframes. In my current role, I’ve got a strong partnership with our independent chair, Craig Hattle CMInstD. We’re very aligned on the strategic direction of the business and how we’ll get there.”

Facer also values the balance between independence and support. “Craig is someone I can run ideas past. He challenges my assumptions, but he’s very clear on his role. He’s not there to make decisions or act like a quasi-chief executive. He brings expertise but stays in his lane – and that’s crucial.”

That clarity is made easier by both bringing governance and executive experience to the table. “We both know the two roles intimately – chair and chief executive. It’s very easy for us to be wearing the right hat at the right time.”

Boundaries, trust and visibility

Facer has experienced both sides of the chair-chief executive dynamic – the productive and the painful. “I’ve had a chair who was completely disengaged. It’s tough when you’re trying to run something past someone who just isn’t there. You feel like it’s all on your shoulders – there’s no ‘we’ in it.”

At the other end of the spectrum, over-involvement can be just as damaging. “I’ve had a chair who was micromanaging, going around me and talking to the team directly. That’s even harder. You have to manage them away from the team and be clear about communication and roles.”

Part of the challenge, says Facer, is that the chief executive role can be isolating. “To be a successful CEO, you need a bit of an ego. You need that self-belief, the true conviction and confidence in your decisions – but you also don’t want to be Robinson Crusoe, alone on an island. You want to be able to run something past someone and say, are you comfortable with where I’m heading?”

Clear reporting and regular communication help. “We’ve got strong formal reporting protocols – a board pack with the right level of information. In between meetings, I’ll share updates on financials or key projects. But I’m also big on making sure the board knows the leadership team. They need to see the people delivering on the strategy – and the team needs to feel they have a voice at the top table.”

He’s also deliberate about social boundaries. “You want the relationship to be close, but not too close. I think of it as being professional associates, not mates, as such. Craig and I regularly catch up over meals – but not at each other’s houses and that helps keep the boundaries clear.”

It’s a lesson he learned the hard way. “When I look back, I probably wasn’t always great at this. So now I’m very clear – people I work with are associates. If we become friends later when we are no longer work colleagues, that’s fine, but while we’re working together we need to stay in that space.”

Healthy tension, he says, plays an important role. “I’ve had times where I was pushing too hard on something I was passionate about, and the chair helped me see I was giving it too much weight. That kind of challenge helps reset priorities.”

He’s also challenged the board when he felt its approach had fallen short. “It’s a two-way relationship. If the fundamentals are right – trust, respect and clarity – then you can have those hard conversations.”

We need to talk about this more

Despite its importance, Facer says the chair-chief executive relationship isn’t talked about enough in most boardrooms.

“At the top end of town, this probably is,” he says. “But in everyday organisations? Absolutely not. I think there’s more to be done because it’s crucial.”

He believes the relationship sets the foundation for the wider governance-management interface. “One of the challenges is getting the piece right between governance and management. The chair-chief executive relationship is critical for laying that foundation. If that piece isn’t right, it’s difficult to hold other directors to account for their engagement with management.”

He also sees an opportunity for boards to raise the bar on self-review. “Most boards will have a process around reviewing the executive’s performance. But not all of them have a process around reviewing themselves – and reviewing the efficiency and effectiveness of the chair. That is critical moving forward. It’s not a threat, it’s an opportunity.”

What’s next

Looking ahead, he sees pressure from fast-moving change as a major test for board-executive partnerships. “We’re going through a period of unprecedented change. AI is just one example. Some organisations won’t survive it, others will pivot, and others will thrive.”

That challenge demands open dialogue – in both directions. “There’s so much opportunity, but the organisation needs to understand it, adapt to it, and adopt it. That starts with the chair and the chief executive being willing to challenge one another, and to see change as something they lead – together.”