Programme Overview
Diversity on any board simply aims to expand the spectrum of ideas and knowledge demographics, attributes and characteristics in the boardroom. To achieve success, a diverse board of directors must include a variety of perspectives, skills, ages, genders, cultures, and ethnicities.
When organisations can deploy a range of perspectives and ideas effectively, boards and management teams have more ways and options for problem solving and hedging the unexpected. Central to the board & management relationship is a clear mutual understanding of roles, delegations and boundaries which allows each party to respect the other’s responsibilities, contributions and expectations.
When there’s no alignment between the board and the management, conflicting agendas lead to a lack of growth and disrupted decision-making. Boards might fall into the trap of interfering with the management processes, effectively assuming the roles of senior management. And in times when the boundary between oversight and management is thin, boards might fail to succinctly challenge the management for fear of interfering with the management’s duties.
Board-management effectiveness is characterised by two-way information sharing, constructive debate and commitment to strategic direction. Generally, the board has to challenge management to facilitate organisational effectiveness. They expect management to understand and accept that the board’s role is to monitor and question, probe issues, seek clarification, offer insight and share its knowledge and experience. Presence of independent directors will also bring greater objectivity and independence to the decision -making process, and higher visibility of next level of management will provide the opportunity to build relationships, provide guidance and identify talent for the succession pool.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the distinct roles, responsibilities and expectations between board & management, as well as the central role of the Chair & CEO.
- Evaluate the challenges in managing diversity at the board and management levels in order to improve dynamics and teamwork amongst all parties.
- Foster greater creative abrasion amongst leadership to keep ideas flowing and rethink traditional methods of governing – encouraging continual innovative thinking.
Who is this Programme For?
- Developing or Emerging Directors
- Directors with a tenure between 3 – 5 years
Speakers
PATRICK DUNNE
ICDM Faculty, Chair Boardelta, EY Foundation, ESSA,
Visiting Professor Cranfield,
United Kingdom
Patrick is a Faculty Member of ICDM. He is also an experienced Chair with extensive experience of working with boards in Europe, Asia and North America. He has also facilitated a series of programmes for ICDM.
He currently Chairs board consultancy Boardelta, the charities The EY Foundation and ESSA- Education Sub Saharan Africa and the Oversight Board for the Chartered Management Consultant. He is a trustee of the Chartered Management Institute and a Visiting Professor at Cranfield University.
Executive experience with Air Products and FTSE 100 listed private equity group 3i Group plc where he was Communications Director, a member of its Operating committee and Chairman of its Operational Risk forum.
Author of the award winning “Boards” and three other successful books on the subject Patrick has helped to establish many successful courses on board skills over the last twenty years.
He has helped Chairs across a wide range of sectors and countries to transform the effectiveness of their boards through Boardelta. As a member of the Higgs Review also played a role in shaping governance policy for UK listed companies.
Patrick was also a member of the General Council of the University of Warwick from 2006 to 2015.
