As boards face growing strategic, regulatory, and stakeholder pressures, evaluating director performance must go beyond checklists and compliance. The DRIVE framework, refined in 2025 from over 24,000 peer comments across more than 1,200 directors, offers a modern, behaviourally grounded model that assesses both what a director contributes and how they engage in the boardroom.
The DRIVE model is built on five core dimensions:
- Direction (and Strategy)
- Relationships (and Influence)
- Insight (and Contribution)
- Values (and Conduct)
- Execution Oversight
Each of these areas reflects a vital element of director impact, offering a clear and practical framework for performance assessment, board development, and long-term governance effectiveness.
D – Direction (and Strategy)
The Direction dimension evaluates a director’s ability to shape and influence long-term outcomes for the organisation. It focuses on strategic foresight, commercial acumen, and awareness of market, stakeholder, and regulatory forces.
Why It Matters
- Keeps boardroom conversations focused on the future, not just operational detail.
- Encourages directors to challenge assumptions and test strategic thinking.
- Supports innovation, risk awareness, and scenario planning.
Effective directors in this dimension bring forward-thinking perspectives, balance optimism with realism, and help ensure that strategic discussions are well-informed and forward‑looking.
R – Relationships (and Influence)
Relationships measures how directors interact with fellow board members, executives, and key stakeholders. It covers emotional intelligence, respectfulness, and the ability to contribute to a healthy, constructive board culture.
Why It Matters
- Good governance relies on mutual respect and trust among directors.
- Constructive relationships enhance board cohesion and enable productive challenge.
- High-trust boards are more effective in decision-making and in navigating conflict.
Directors who score well in this dimension tend to listen actively, encourage diverse views, avoid unnecessary dominance, and contribute positively to the overall tone and inclusiveness of the board.
I – Insight (and Contribution)
The Insight dimension captures a director’s ability to prepare thoroughly, ask the right questions, synthesise complex information, and add unique value in discussions.
Why It Matters
- Boards need directors who bring critical thinking, not just credentials.
- High-quality insight raises the intellectual calibre of boardroom debate.
- Directors must probe below surface-level reports to challenge assumptions and uncover risk.
Directors strong in this area are curious, analytical, and willing to explore uncomfortable or non-obvious issues. They provide clarity and foresight when others may stay silent.
V – Values (and Conduct)
Values relates to a director’s integrity, professionalism, humility, and consistency. It assesses how well a director upholds ethical standards, respects board norms, and contributes to an inclusive, accountable culture.
Why It Matters
- Directors must model the values they expect from executives and the broader organisation.
- Ethical conduct and emotional self-control are foundational to credibility.
- Misalignment with values can damage board trust, stakeholder confidence, and brand reputation.
Top-performing directors in this area bring authenticity, transparency, and a calm, constructive approach—especially under pressure.
E – Execution Oversight
Execution Oversight measures a director’s contribution to risk management, performance monitoring, and governance discipline. It’s about ensuring the board remains focused on priorities without overstepping into operations.
Why It Matters
- Oversight is a core fiduciary duty of any board.
- Boards need directors who are disciplined, diligent, and committed to accountability.
- Good oversight ensures that strategy turns into real-world results.
This dimension highlights the importance of attention to detail, follow-through, and the ability to distinguish between oversight and interference.
Why the DRIVE Framework Works
The DRIVE framework offers boards a balanced, evidence-based model of director effectiveness. Here’s why it’s widely adopted and respected:
- Behaviourally anchored – It focuses on how directors behave, not just what they know.
- Holistic – The five dimensions cover strategic thinking, interpersonal dynamics, ethical grounding, analytical contribution, and governance execution.
- Evidence-based – Built from thousands of real director reviews, it reflects what truly matters in live boardroom environments.
- Customisable – DRIVE can be adapted to suit boards of varying maturity, structure, and industry focus.
- Benchmarkable – Results can be compared against anonymised data from other directors, offering context and clarity.
- Actionable – Findings can guide individual coaching, board development plans, and succession decisions.
How Boards Use the DRIVE Framework
The DRIVE framework is most often deployed through a structured Director Effectiveness Survey. Here’s how the process typically works:
- Survey Rollout
Each director self-rates and peer-rates performance across the five DRIVE dimensions, usually via an online platform. Surveys are anonymous to encourage candid feedback. - Report Generation
The data is compiled into individual director reports, which highlight strengths, development areas, and benchmarked performance. - Chair and Director Debriefs
Chairs (or governance consultants) discuss findings one-on-one with each director, identifying practical actions and goals. - Board-wide Summary
In some cases, an aggregate view of the board is shared to inform development priorities, strategy offsites, or renewal planning. - Follow-up Support
Results may feed into coaching, learning programs, or tailored mentoring over time. Many boards repeat the survey on a 12–36 month cycle to track progress.
What Sets DRIVE Apart from Traditional Evaluations
Unlike many director assessment tools that rely on high-level generalities or role checklists, DRIVE distinguishes itself by:
- Targeting behaviours that can be observed and developed.
- Integrating soft skills (like collaboration and influence) with hard governance functions.
- Providing clarity for directors who want honest, developmental feedback.
- Emphasising improvement, not just accountability.
It aligns closely with the real-world expectations of Chairs, governance leads, regulators, and stakeholders who are calling for more transparency, integrity, and continuous learning in boardrooms.
Best Practices for Boards Using the DRIVE Framework
If your board is looking to adopt or enhance director evaluations using the DRIVE model, consider these recommendations:
- Gain commitment upfront – Ensure all directors understand that the process is developmental, not punitive.
- Link to development – Use the results to offer directors opportunities for skill-building, coaching, or mentorship.
- Keep results confidential – Each director should receive their own report privately. Group summaries should be shared only by agreement.
- Make it cyclical – Repeat the process every 1–3 years to track progress and maintain momentum.
- Support the Chair – Equip the Chair with tools and guidance to have constructive conversations with directors based on the findings.
- Model openness – Boards that embrace feedback build a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
Conclusion
The DRIVE framework offers a robust, future-focused approach to director evaluation. By focusing on what matters most—strategic clarity, interpersonal effectiveness, insight, integrity, and disciplined oversight—DRIVE supports directors to grow and boards to thrive.
More than a model, DRIVE is a mindset: one that sees board service as a leadership role to be performed with rigour, humility, and intention.
To learn more about how the DRIVE framework is applied in practice, visit the Director Effectiveness Survey overview. For tailored options and cost breakdowns, see the pricing page.
If you’d like to discuss how the DRIVE framework can help your board assess and improve director performance, speak to an expert today.
