Board management

Managing a board of directors is a challenging task that involves collaborating with various personalities at different ages and from all sorts of backgrounds. For example, the average board size in France is 14, followed by 11 in Italy, Spain and Sweden, with the average age of directors being 59, 58, 60 and 60 respectively. This means you typically have a large group of experts, confident in their opinions and convictions, that you have to encourage to work as a team and to consider each others’ views. Given these statistics, and the fact that the board only convenes a few […]

The performance of board members is under ever-growing scrutiny, and that is displayed by the results of PwC’s Annual Corporate Directors Survey from 2022. It found that 48% of directors think one or more of their colleagues on the board should be replaced. In addition, 19% recommend replacing two or more of their fellow board members.  One of the main drivers of positive board performance is engagement, ensuring your directors give their all when preparing for meetings, in the boardroom and when following up with actions. Implementing a board engagement plan plots out the steps you can take to help […]

The Institute of Directors defines the role of the board as being “to ensure the company's prosperity by collectively directing the company’s affairs, while meeting the appropriate interests of its shareholders and relevant stakeholders.” With such responsibility, it is essential that the board works to its full potential. This certainly includes knowing how to improve board effectiveness.  Worryingly, PwC found that only 10% of C-suite executives rated their boards as ‘excellent’ in terms of their effectiveness. The majority – 55% – said that their board’s performance was merely ‘fair’. This article describes the steps required to improve board effectiveness and […]

Your board comprises a host of diverse talent that drives your business forward. But you do not have this resource at hand at all times.  Typically, a non-executive director will work between ten and 40 days a year, although the time commitment varies between organisations. This is why you need to understand the best ways to engage board members, encourage them to dedicate their time to your business and make the most of the time they are present. This article explores how to maintain motivation so that you get the best from your directors. It also guides you through building […]

A while ago, McKinsey found that teams that are connected can increase their productivity by between 20 and 25%. Further research by ThinkTalent found that companies with effective communication strategies were 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers. More recently, Gartner found that poor communication is responsible for 70% of corporate errors. With a board of directors who do not work in the same location for the majority of their tenure, being able to keep communication lines open between members is essential. This article explores expert tips on how to improve board of directors communication.  Directors are leaders, but […]