This was the
topic for our most recent internal knowledge sharing session which created a
wide ranging and thought provoking discussion.
You
Deserve to be at the Table
Core
amongst our considerations was that you have been appointed, so there is no
need for you to justify your seat at the table.
No matter how, or why, or what your route to the appointment was, as a
statutory director, you share the same role and responsibilities as your fellow
directors.
Too often
inexperienced directors, or recent appointees, feel they have to justify their attendance
to their fellow directors before contributing to boardroom discussions.
However, the fact that you have been invited to be there, means that your voice
is valued and should be heard. Leave your own self-doubts at the door, nobody
else is interested – they should only want to see how you can add value by
being there.
Initially,
yes, you may feel more comfortable contributing on those topics which you have
relevant experience or knowledge, either through your functional role, your
experience both within and outside the organisation, or through your training.
If this is the case, ensure your contribution is focused at the level of the board
– operational oversight or strategic in content. Not operational delivery, or non-business,
or purely personal.
Finding
Your Voice
Use this early
stage to develop your voice, positioning your contributions at this strategic
level. Watch how others use their voice to question others to develop the
discussion, seek out relevant information or challenge contributions.
Further
develop your skills into asking questions of others in a similarly strategic
way.
If you
don’t get answers, try asking in a different way. The real value of your contribution
is that, by your lack of direct functional experience, you will be asking
questions in a way that challenges the norm. A simple request to re-explain a
topic in a different way may lead to a discussion that is much more beneficial
than a continuation of the same.
Remember,
you have the right, and the duty, to ask your own questions if you feel there
are gaps either in the discussion or the information being shared.
Be
prepared to be disappointed
The board
is a collection of individuals none of whom have the full answer, or the
knowledge and insights that you have. Don’t be intimidated or expect it to be
perfect. No board ever is, and the recognition that improvement can always be
made is a powerful understanding in any board’s collective mindset.
Before
attending a meeting, you may have had high expectations of the discussion, the
strategic thinking, the dynamics working across and between members. When you
attend your first meeting, all these expectations may be knocked down, or found
to be unrealistic.
Whichever
board you join, once you’re appointed you are amongst their number, and you are
contributing to the high ideals that other, non-board members, now have of you
and your fellow directors. Hence, be mindful of your responsibilities, your
output and your communication as a member of the leadership team of the organisation.
Events
Happen
Real challenges
for boards occur when events happen. How did your board react to Covid? How is
it adapting to inflation and recession? What happens when one of your
identified key risks occurs? Have you had a security breach, what did the board
do?
Standing
agenda, regular reporting, formal board minutes are important company narrative…but
none of these reflect the activity that happens when an event occurs. It is at
this stage that the effectiveness of the board in delivering in their role, and
leading their organisation, is clearly in the spotlight. When these occur, the
board needs to be agile and nimble, working within their remit but crucially
leading by example, making decisions and adapting as needed.
If the disciplines
of providing focus, clarity and guidance are already embedded in the activities
and discussions of the board, adapting to an event can be an opportunity to
layer the specific topic on top of the innate rhythms of the board. Having this
discipline can make event driven activity more effective and targeted.
Boards and
their formal meetings are not a one off, static forum – they constantly evolve and
adapt to activity both internally and external to the organisation. They are
enduring but not static.
By joining
the board, you are contributing to this evolution, merely by attending, by
developing yourself, your role and your participation, you can make an even
greater contribution to this forward momentum.
Breadth
of Responsibility
All this
leads into one of the points raised in our discussion – a recognition for all
directors that they have responsibility for the full breadth of board
deliverables, not just those aligned to their personal area of specialization.
No
statutory board member should be there just to make up the numbers. They should
all contribute in a meaningful way, however that may be defined, otherwise
they’re taking the seat of somebody who could make a difference.
To do this,
all directors need to understand the responsibilities of the board, both under
company law, but also aligned to the needs of their particular organisation. Just
turning up at meetings isn’t enough.
If you’re invited
to join a board, or are considering a role as a director, consider not just the
responsibility that you’re taking on and the contribution that you can make
through your experience, but also the added value that your participation on
all topics under discussion could provide to the success of the board.
As a final
point, we did also note that being a director should be enjoyable.
Yes, it’s a
responsibility, but it’s a responsibility that each member of the board should
embrace, contribute to and recognise that, by their actions, they’re
contributing to the success of this collective forum in leading a business –
and yes, it is about collective leadership. Working as a team of individuals
respectful of their fellow directors and clear on their objectives can provide
both satisfaction in doing a role well, but also an avenue to enjoy leadership
and be part of a successful organisation.
The
brief article was written following a regular in-house knowledge sharing forum
to which all members of IDT are invited, contributing to the discussion based
on their personal board experience.
As part
of their services, IDT provides in-house workshops to organisations, one of
which is ‘The role of directors and the board’. If you are interested in this
topic and would like to find out more about this workshop, please contact IDT
at
info@directorsandtrustees.co.uk
