Unpopular Governance Opinions (You Should Lean Into)
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Future Directors Founder, Paul Smith
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.
Diving into the heart of what makes or breaks the boardroom is not just a pastime for us governance nerds—it's a mission. A few of my fellow future-focused enthusiasts and I went down this rabbit hole about the most unpopular governance opinions, which spiralled into rich insights, debates, and a few controversial takes on the state of corporate governance today.
I thought I would reflect on and summarise the common themes, particularly the most unpopular ones! Anytime a big governance conference rolls around, I also notice that some of these themes are still getting under people’s skins. If it’s not all too triggering for you, here are 10 of the big ones and why I think they’re lurking underneath the politics and dynamics of well or not-so-well-functioning boards.
1. Under-boarding is dangerous.
There is a notion that you can have too many or too little number of board positions. Under-boarding and over-boarding (no, this is not the Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell classic comedy film).
It’s generally accepted that someone with too many board roles cannot be effective in all these roles. This is common, especially for people who fit a skill or diversity profile and are a “known quantity.” Perhaps unpopular is the idea that being under-boarded (i.e., having only one board role) can make you just as ineffective. Why? because you lack comparable insights from other boards.
My take: It’s a bit hard to move from zero to more than one board role when building a portfolio, or starting out on boards when working in a busy day job. Hence, unpopular opinion.
2. Obsessive compliance.
Many boards find it easier to focus on compliance with their own rules and processes, plus those of any regulatory bodies.
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