Should I stay or should I go?
Posted on 16 Aug 2023
Stepping up into a role as chair of the board is a big deal.
Posted on 13 Sep 2023
By Adele Stowe-Lindner
Stepping up into a role as chair of the board is a big deal.
Boards sometimes coast along unquestioningly, maintaining the status quo, for the sake of keeping things comfortable. After all, if you’re surrounded by people who look like you, sound like you and think like you, and you’re all getting along well and having an enjoyable time at board meetings, why rock the boat? But this cosiness may come at a significant cost. A culture of excessive stability, homogenous thinking, risk aversion, and unquestioning acceptance (or rejection) of everything that comes before the board could lead to:
Great leadership enables all board members to feel they can fully contribute to discussions and decisions and feel confident of being heard and understood, even if not agreed with.
Some behaviours that encourage open questioning, fulsome contributions and awkward conversations – in a good way – include: