CEOs make the most of trustees' business acumen.

CEOs now recognize that the business expertise of board members is a valuable resource that needs to be tapped. So, in an effort to develop the best possible response to an increasingly complex business environment, a growing number of CEOs are asking their boards to play a key role in strategic planning. And when the strategic plan is a joint effort, the CEO is less likely to be blamed if the plan fails. The strategic planning process is not always a smooth operation, say executives. Corporate and individual hospital boards have different perspectives and are not always on the same wavelength, which may leave the CEO caught in the middle. At the community level, developing a shared vision with the trustees is a time-consuming task. And in those communities where physicians are viewed as competitors, the CEO may find it tough to convince trustees that physicians must be part of an integrated plan.