Directors/trustees are responsible for making sure the organisation's strategies are successfully implemented. Areas of performance where monitoring is most critical are:

• Budget and financial performance
• Legal compliance
• Chief Executive performance
• Board performance

Essentials for monitoring performance include:

Good information from management: Directors/trustees are responsible for ensuring that the information they get from management is up-to-date, accurate and received in time to make appropriate decisions.

Information on trends: The board should make sure it has information that gives a picture of trends rather than just daily business. This allows directors/trustees to foresee risks and opportunities.

Key performance indicators (KPI): The indicators reflect the targets set in the strategic plan. Areas where key performance indicators are often set are:

• Revenue
• Costs
• Product sales
• Staff turnover
• Customer satisfaction