Lane Drifters Beware
This is a ONE THING article, which is featured in Future Directors’ monthly newsletter. Sign up to receive this in your inbox or join the Future Directors Hub to receive this and more.
Guest write, The Governance Collective Managing Director, Lisa Coletta.
ONE THING is for the busy (speak of the devil) Future Director, in which we pick just one thing Future Directors oughta know or do or stew on for the next month. We hope you get something (at least one thing) out of it.
So here I am deliberately steering out of my usual lane and into Paul Smith’s, taking over his monthly opinion piece "One Thing."
Can you picture it? Me, in my flashy Maserati, effortlessly gliding past and then in front of Paul squarely in his lane.
Here’s an image to help –>
Paul is way way way back there somewhere, wondering why I’m pulling away from him to set my own, speedy pace*.
And while sometimes well intentioned, and on this occasion with Paul’s blessing, the impact of someone crossing boundaries, drifting into your lane or purposely taking over someone else’s lane is the One Thing I’d like to talk about this month.
So, let’s start by getting on the same page around what I mean by ’your lane’.
I’m referring to the specific responsibilities, tasks, and areas of accountability assigned to you within your defined and approved role – you know, your space, your area of expertise, your mandate.
And let’s face it - many of us have experienced the unpleasantness of someone jumping into our lane, especially in an open setting like the Boardroom.
While we all respond and react differently, in those moments, in my experience and that of many of my clients, some typical feelings and themes come up. Words like disrupting and causing confusion. This can make us feel undermined - as if our expertise and authority are being undervalued. Such actions increase stress levels, leading to conflicts and misunderstandings about roles. It shows a lack of respect for professional boundaries and the work we do, possibly making us insecure about roles, jobs or standing within the team. This can be demotivating, especially with repeated incidents, as it suggests our contributions aren't recognised or valued.
So it’s clearly not fun and doesn’t feel great when someone encroaches on someone else’s lane. So why do people do it?
Well, particularly in the boardroom, I’ve found that people may cross over other people's lanes for a few key reasons.
First of all, for many, it’s because of ambition and competition. They find this behaviour sexy and exciting. They may be trying to demonstrate their value, make an impact, showcase their skills, or outshine others to gain recognition or promotion as a power play to assert dominance or influence over certain decisions or areas.
“If your presence doesn’t make an impact your absence won’t make a difference.” - Unknown
Another, is because there are unclear roles and responsibilities, which often result in overlapping tasks and confusion. Yes, even in the boardroom, there is ambiguity that can lead to misunderstandings about who should handle what, prompting some to intervene to address perceived gaps, inefficiencies, or mistakes.
Others may micromanage out of a desire to control outcomes or due to personal expertise in a specific area. For a board director, this means entering the big ‘no-go’ zone of management.
Additionally, well-intentioned individuals overstep boundaries in their eagerness to contribute, they see a gap and want to fill it, leading to collaboration misunderstandings.
So, if you find yourself in this situation what should you do?
The short answer: Respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.
The longer, and more character-building answer:
It’s time to reflect on your EQ and why your lane-hogging impulses have got the better of you. This will benefit you and your board dynamics in more ways than one.
You need a harder look at your governance frameworks and the effectiveness of your risk strategies and decision-making culture.
Coincidentally, this is also a plug for some of the courses you’ll find on the Future Directors Hub. But let me tell you why!
If you, a fellow board member, an executive, or an advisor to the board stray into other people's lanes in the boardroom, there are some governance-specific political and legal consequences that need to be considered.
For example, the legal risk of shadow directorship is very real. If advisors or other individuals who are not officially directors start making decisions or influencing the board in significant ways, they can subject to the same legal responsibilities …
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