What Makes a Boardroom Superstar?
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.
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.
This month’s One Thing is related to the one question I always get asked
…(no, not the one about “should I do the [insert Institute of Directors name] qualification?”
Which I have answered before…
When asked about the most crucial, overarching character trait of any highly effective board member, my answer is always the same. So, pardon the pun, but this month's One Thing article is all about - you guessed it - one thing!
But, before I share my observation, there have been many pretenders vying for the throne created by people like me and numerous surveys and polls. Some of these include emotional intelligence, governance knowledge, integrity, and humility.*
These are all exceptional traits, but my answer is always CURIOSITY. It's a trait that lies at the very heart of everything. Curiosity fuels the desire to learn, understand, and improve - qualities essential for anyone seeking to navigate the complexities of modern governance.
So, why is curiosity the cornerstone of board excellence? Let’s look at how it manifests - inwardly and outwardly.
Curiosity as Self-Governance
For me, curiosity begins with self-reflection—a practice I have called Self-Governance.
Highly effective board members are those who constantly seek self-knowledge and self-improvement. All the skills. Not just technical ones but those harder-to-master soft (human) skills. They question themselves, not out of self-doubt but of a genuine desire to improve.
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