The Savvy Director Blog

Compliance may not be exciting, but it’s essential to governance. This article outlines how boards can oversee compliance programs and manage regulatory risk effectively.

I frequently read these days that boards are spending too much time on oversight (which is typically described as a “check-the-boxes exercise”) and not enough on the future. While I agree that boards need to allow enough time for robust discussions of strategy, that doesn’t mean that the responsibility for oversight can be i...

This blog explores the board’s role in overseeing organizational culture. It highlights how culture enables or undermines strategy.

This is the third of three articles on the topic of human capital. The first, Overseeing “Our Greatest Asset”, dealt with the board’s role in Human Capital Management and the second, The Talent-Savvy Board, dealt with Talent Management. In this article we explore the importance of organizational culture.

An organization’s culture can make or break a brilliant st...

Board development is a process. It’s designed to provide board members with training and support to enhance the skills and effectiveness of every director, no matter where they are on their governance journey.

With a good board development plan, the board collectively will do a better job at fulfilling its stewardship role.

That sounds straightforward enough. Yet, when I talk to some board directors and management teams about board training, they roll their eyes and I hear comments like, “W...

Directors often see what they expect to see. This article explores confirmation bias and how it can lead to flawed decisions in the boardroom.

Here’s a familiar scenario for most board directors. You’re reviewing management reports in preparation for an upcoming board meeting. There’s a report on a just-completed project, or maybe a proposal for a new one. You take a quick look. Ho-hum. Nothing new there. It’s just as you thought – the project was a success and the proposal makes sense.

Mayb...

This blog explains the board’s evolving role in overseeing human capital. It highlights how workforce strategy drives long-term success.

With this kickoff 2024 edition of The Savvy Director, we’re highlighting boardroom trends that governance experts have been writing about lately.

If you’re like me, you’ll find that some resonate, others not so much. Hopefully, this will give you a running start as you consider which trends apply to your board, and which can be set aside for the time being.

I have a hunch you’ll find some interesting trends that could be tweaked to adapt to your board’s reality. In my view, that’s a good t...

This blog explores how boards make decisions and why group decision-making can go wrong. It offers practical ways to improve decision quality through better questioning and process.

We all believe that groups make better decisions than individuals. There’s power in numbers, isn’t there? Otherwise, a board of directors might just as well consist of one person.

But is it true? Do groups really make better decisions?

How do groups go about making decisions, anyway? More importantly, how should...

 

This blog highlights the importance of staying attuned to talent and culture issues within an organization. It shows how early awareness can prevent major governance failures.

I came across an excellent opinion piece written by Ram Charan, a world-renowned business advisor, author, and speaker who has spent the past 35 years working with many top companies, CEOs, and boards. He’s known for cutting through the complexity of running an organization in today’s fast changing environment to uncov...

This blog explains why trust is essential for effective board performance and influence. It provides a practical framework for building trust through key director behaviours.

Recently, I had the opportunity to hear author Brian Hayward speak about his new book, The Great Chair: A Window on Effective Board Leadership. I was particularly struck by Brian’s comments on the topic of trust in the boardroom, and how it links to the ability to influence others.

Brian’s book is all about board chairs...