Leader Status
Definition
Tri-state leader status (permanent / interim / vacant) for each board-tracked department. Permanent shows name+title; interim shows the covering person; vacant shows the gap explicitly. The single most board-relevant org-design signal — an extended interim or vacant status in a strategic function is almost always a board-level concern. Common pitfall: leaving "interim" indefinitely as a way to avoid the search-and-hire conversation — boards should set a maximum interim duration and treat overruns as board-action items. Structural KPI; no formula.
Why it matters
Leader-coverage gaps in strategic functions (e.g., engineering, sales, product) are leading indicators of execution risk. Boards routinely under-weight this signal because the headcount number can look healthy while the leadership layer is hollow.
How to interpret it
Interim status sustained >90 days warrants a board narrative on the search; vacant status in a board-relevant function is a board-action item on day one. Pair with `hr.key_openings` for the structured search-status view and `hr.talent_challenges` for narrative on the search difficulty.
Source
imboard Editorial
Stage relevance
Typically owned by
Related KPIs
Field-array of per-department rows — department name, leader status (resolved against `hr.leader_status`), and headcount metrics with stable-count auto-calc — rendered as a drag-sortable table grouped by department. Common pitfall: department boundaries drift over time (Eng+R&D merging, GTM splitting into Sales/Marketing/CS) — when boundaries change, prior-period comparisons need an explicit reconciliation note. This KPI is structural, not numeric — no formula applies.
Field-array of priority open roles the board should be aware of and may be able to accelerate — typically C-1 executives, hard-to-fill specialists, and any role open >60 days. Per-item shape: title, department, level, urgency, owner. Rendered via the T2 collapsible-card gallery pattern. Structural, not numeric. Common pitfall: padding the list with every open req — boards add the most value on the 3–8 strategic openings, not on backfilling the next IC.
Narrative on key hiring difficulties, attrition concerns, comp-market pressure, and market-driven talent risks that the board should weigh in on or be aware of. The "watch this" companion to `hr.talent_highlights`. Common pitfall: sanitizing this section to avoid uncomfortable conversations — but talent challenges are precisely where boards add the most value (warm intros, comp benchmarking, executive search). Best practice is to name the specific role, team, or risk and the ask explicitly.
Explicit list of HR items requiring board attention, approval, or decision in this meeting — executive comp changes, headcount-budget changes, equity-pool top-ups, employment-policy approvals, and any items needing a board resolution. Common pitfall: burying decisions inside other narrative sections — boards consistently miss requests that are not explicitly tagged as "decision required." Best practice is to label each item as approval-required vs awareness-only and give a one-line ask.
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