This is my go-to diagnostic tool when a chairperson calls and says, “Our board is compliant, but I’m not sure it’s effective.” That phrase is code for: We’re ticking boxes but not moving the needle.
The 3x3x3™ Grid forces the board to evaluate itself across three critical arenas, with three focused questions in each, over three quarters to drive continuous improvement, not just annual ritual.
1. Strategy Oversight
Ask:
What trade-offs have we made in the last 90 days?
Are we funding our priorities or just budgeting history?
Have we changed or challenged our assumptions based on new data?
Why it matters: Effective boards don’t just approve strategy. They interrogate it, stress-test it, and adapt it. If every meeting feels like déjà vu, you’re not steering, you’re rubber-stamping.
2. Risk Intelligence
Ask:
What are the top 3 threats to our business model, not just our operations?
What’s the quality of our downside scenario planning?
How often do we challenge the CRO/CISO on blind spots?
Why it matters: In my last telecom advisory, the breach didn’t cost them millions the board’s ignorance did. Risk is a board sport. Delegate it, and you inherit it.
3. Board Dynamics
Ask:
Who dominates conversations - and who’s being sidelined?
When was the last time we gave feedback to each other?
Do we have the right diversity of thought for today’s strategy?
Why it matters: A brilliant strategy in a dysfunctional room is a dead plan. Board culture is the strategy’s air supply. You either nurture it or you suffocate it.
How to use it
Every quarter, pick one arena. Discuss all three questions as a board (not just in committees).
Capture honest insights and assign a director or the company secretary to document action steps.
In the next quarter, move to the next arena. Rotate intentionally. After 3 quarters, you’ll have your clearest picture of effectiveness yet, not on paper, but in impact.
This tool reveals blind spots, power dynamics, and hidden resistance. That’s the point. Don’t use it if you’re afraid of the mirror.
