Boardroom hustle #20
The increasing complexity of the modern boardroom
On the latest episode of Boardroom Hustle, co-hosts Paul Smith and Anna Byrne talk to Brian Stafford, the CEO and President of Diligent Corporation, whose company provides governance management software to almost half a million users and organisations worldwide, making it the largest in the world.
Diligent is a portal that allows simple, functional cloud management with security, allowing boards to mitigate risk while enabling effective governance in a way that’s easy, yet empowering.
Paul and Anna talk to Brian about a wide range of topics, including the increasingly demands on board directors, the need for more technology knowledge in the boardroom, the driving motivation behind why people seek out directorships in the first place, and how that motivation changes over the years. Furthermore, they answer a common question so many novice board directors have; what’s the best time to speak up as a new board member?
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If you’re wondering how to use technology to advance your board, or how to be seen and heard as a first-time board director, then listen to this episode, where you’ll also find the answers to other burning questions like:
What are the benefits of having new directors who don’t have any prior boardroom experience?
At what point in your board career should you feel comfortable speaking up in meetings?
What’s the biggest hurdle new directors are most likely to come across, and how can they overcome it?
What is the one thing many boards know they need to improve on?
What trends are being seen in the ways boards communicate?
How can you use technology in a way that keeps your board data and information secure and safe?
Is there a ‘right number’ of boards you should sit on? At what point are you sitting on too many, and in what ways can that impact your effectiveness as a director?
What are some of the things Brian is excited about regarding future technology in the boardroom?
Top action item:
If you’re a director, have a think about the onboarding process you underwent when you initially joined your board. Did it help you feel comfortable diving in and getting involved straight away? Or did you find yourself feeling a bit uneasy and out of place? If it was the latter, consider running your thoughts past the Chairperson of the board and discussing the implementation of a stronger onboarding process. This way, any new future directors can come in and hit the ground running, avoiding that initial first bout of nerves.
We’d love your feedback on the podcast, so please let us know at hello@futuredirectors.com