Just 38% of company boards of directors have high director quality and positive social dynamics, according to a new Gartner report that urges general counsel to become personally involved in improving the pipeline of prospective board candidates.

“Effective boards hold executives to account and make positive contributions to corporate governance, strategy and risk management,” said James Crocker, the director of research for Stamford, Connecticut-based Gartner’s legal and compliance practice. “Yet half of GCs report that their board of directors is not fully effective based on these criteria.”