Leadership in the boardroom is not just about management; it’s about eliciting input, empowering growth, supporting leadership development, and maintaining effective governance. Roberta Sydney, a seasoned board chair with over 20 years of expertise in board leadership, corporate governance, and commercial real estate, shares her insights on handling difficult conversations, supporting future board leaders, and implementing best practices for board effectiveness. Let’s delve into these critical aspects of board leadership and explore how a board chair, as a key player, can drive organizational success. Remember, continuous improvement is key to your professional growth in board leadership.

Handling Difficult Conversations: Navigating Challenges with Grace

Difficult conversations are inevitable, but a good board chair handles them tactfully and diplomatically. Providing constructive feedback and being willing to share resources where appropriate are key aspects of this role. It’s about managing tough discussions gracefully and ensuring that these conversations lead to positive outcomes. As a board chair, your role in fostering a sense of hope and optimism is crucial. One effective strategy is to start the conversation positively, acknowledging the person’s contributions before addressing the issue. This can help maintain a respectful and constructive atmosphere, fostering better understanding and resolution.

When the board struggles with difficult conversations or faces disagreements, it may indicate that more information is needed to align around a united decision. The chair should navigate these conversations carefully to ensure the board and management can mutually agree on the path forward. Remember, mutual agreement in decision-making is key to a collaborative and unified board.

Supporting Leadership Development on the Board

A good board chair not only leads but also inspires future board leaders. Encouraging committee leadership and helping members understand the process of being a committee chair is essential. Assigning tasks to those with leadership potential and discussing their leadership journey is a testament to their value and potential. Supporting outside education and assigning mentors to new board members fosters continuous learning and growth, inspiring and motivating them to reach their full potential. Succession planning ensures board leadership continuity by identifying heirs and chairs for each role.

By emphasizing leadership development, the board chair invests in the growth of board members, ensuring a robust and dynamic board leadership pipeline.

Best Practices: Leading by Example

Roberta relies several key practices in her role as chair to ensure a high trust board and excellent performance:  

• Draft Agenda: Circulate the draft agenda 30 days before the board meeting to all directors for feedback.
• Stress Test Topics: Challenge assumptions and constraints to explore different perspectives.
• Regular Communication: Maintain regular calls with the CEO and quarterly one-on-one calls with directors. 
• Ongoing Feedback: Provide ongoing feedback to directors. And solicit input regularly from directors. 
• Board Cadence and KPIs: ‘Board cadence’ refers to the frequency and timing of board meetings, board topics, and other activities. It’s about maintaining a regular rhythm of board activities to ensure timely decision-making and effective governance. Relying on the board cadence and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can support board effectiveness by providing a structured framework for board operations and performance evaluation. KPIs are specific, measurable goals that the board can use to track its performance and ensure it’s meeting its strategic objectives.
• Attend All Committee Meetings: Keep directors informed on progress and business updates between board meetings.
• Provide Insights to the CEO: Share perspectives and questions directors may bring to avoid blindsiding the CEO during a board meeting. This practice fosters open communication and ensures that the CEO is aware of the board’s concerns and perspectives, promoting a collaborative and transparent working relationship.
• Track Action Items: Review and consider actions from each board meeting and categorize them as implemented, under consideration, or not needed. Ask management to provide a written status update on action items at subsequent meetings to keep everyone in the loop. 

Effective board leadership is more than just governance execution; it fosters growth, supports future leaders, and implements best practices that drive success. A board chair can create a thriving and dynamic board environment by handling difficult conversations gracefully, nurturing leadership development, and leading by example. Roberta’s insights offer valuable guidance for current and aspiring board chairs, emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement and strategic leadership in the boardroom. By applying these insights, you can make a significant difference in your board leadership journey and contribute to the success of your organization.