Dear Board Member,

Here is how to manage boardroom dynamics and win

While the Chairman of the Board and the CEO can make or break the board, you too have a big role to play for the effectiveness of the board.

Today, I will highlight challenges commonly experienced and give various solutions.

A choir without voices

Some members will feel shy to open, while some will not get a chance to say something. And probably some very valuable ideas will be missed, and decisions won’t possibly be taken according to all these opinions. I would like to suggest that you structure your discussions, round-robin or a brainstorming session, in a way that each of your team members is allowed to speak up.

When the Chairman has asked every member for his view on the issue before he closes the agenda item, then indeed every one of the members has been given a chance to have his say. Time-consuming it may be, such an approach generates a wider and more inclusive culture that calls on members to take part in active seeking of input from all members. It helps in ensuring that nobody feels ignored or trivial. Making decisions without input from the majority of the directors is like a choir without voices.

A storm brewing on the horizon

Many people in the boardroom have personal agendas and struggle for power, consensus becomes quite tricky to arrive at which affects decision-making.

Proactive conflict resolution requires open communication.

As chairman, one must make sure that an open environment is developed in which divergent thoughts can be entertained. It is important to first “break the ice” among the directors by providing forums to get them to know each other better.  The board’s opening sessions during induction should allow networking among directors. Team-building sessions are necessary for strong relationships. Director networking sessions like “director profiling game” where one director is profiled before other directors always work wonders, as people open up and clarify who they are.

During a board induction briefing in February 2024, I introduced a game I’ve read from a book titled, “Keep Them Energized”, called “Two Truths and a Lie.” In this game, I ask every board member to share three facts about themselves - two of which are true, and one, naturally, a lie. The challenge for everyone else is to identify that lie. Each board member takes a turn, sharing their three “facts.” After each member has spoken, the others discuss among themselves and vote on which statement they believe is the lie. The person then reveals the correct answer.  To make it interesting, I usually assign points to both the storytellers and the guessers. For example, if someone successfully deceives the rest without anyone guessing the lie, they earn 2 points or Ugx. 10,000. Guessers who correctly identify the lie earn 1 point or Ugx. 5,000. The winner is usually the person with many points.

Rowing in different directions

In the absence of strategic alignment, both the priorities emerging from the organization’s strategic direction and its objectives will either be divergent or lead to confusion and disjointed decision-making. The alignment issue could be resolved by ensuring a common understanding of the organizational mission, vision, and strategic goals to achieve board alignment. Rowing in different directions slows the progress of the boat! Alignment is critical to add value to the board.

I have found the involvement of the board at the start of the strategic planning sessions critical for their ownership and buy-in. They provide their views early on which are then refined by the executive management’s contextual understanding. Besides, continuous learning and education on the strategic direction in the organization also strengthen the same alignment in which all members pull towards the objectives.

Thank you for your attention on this issue, as it is of great importance, and I shall look forward to working hand in hand with you to see that the requisite solutions to toughening our boardroom operations are delivered.

I remain,

Mustapha B Mugisa, Mr. Strategy and author of the book, “7 Tools to Get on The Board and Add Value.” Whether you are an aspiring director or a director, this is a must-have book. In my previous role as Secretary, of the Institute of Corporate Governance of Uganda, for over 8 years, I was mentored by the best directors as well as involved in training several bank boards in Uganda. You will learn a lot from my book. Click here to order.

Dear Board Member, Here is how to manage boardroom dynamics and win. While the Chairman of the Board and the CEO can make or break the board, you too have a big role to play for the effectiveness of the board.

Mr. Strategy Tweet