July 14, 2021
Directors are usually intelligent, successful people capable of stepping into the same decision traps as other people. Yet, some manage to make fewer mistakes than others. So, are some people more “trap resistant” than others?
May 19, 2021
A well-known concept from psychology is the confirmation bias that describes people's tendency to recognize, remember, and value new information that confirms what they already believe. The idea is not difficult to understand, but it is surprisingly challenging to interrupt. Why? Because unconscious biases are more than cognitive processes, they are emotional, making it more challenging to dislodge them.
April 13, 2021
Directors may differ in every significant way––in their initial talents, aptitudes, and temperaments––everyone can change and grow through application and experience. Gone are the days of directors discussing every topic ad nauseum. Here to stay are days of pivotal decisions and strategic actions.
January 19, 2021
In American folklore, the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys has long served as a metaphor for bitterly warring rival parties. However, this twenty-eight-year dispute in the backcountry of West Virginia pales in comparison to the battle that rages among thought leaders about the best way to lead a board...
January 7, 2021
Do you believe that people can achieve whatever they set their minds to? Do you believe that if you work hard, you will be rewarded? Do you believe that where there is a will, there is a way?
November 18, 2020
I heard it again last week, “What’s the rush?” Sometimes I hear, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” or the one that really makes me crazy, “We are so much better than we were.” Many a leader has said to me a version of, “You should have known me ten years ago, I was much worse.” My all-time favorite was when an executive, in charge of risk management, yelled at me (complete with a red face), “Our decisions are NOT emotional!”
September 16, 2020
Sometimes intelligent, experienced and highly committed directors get mired in a circular debate that continues as each side offers evidence to support their viewpoint. Here's how to resolve the issue and move on.
August 4, 2020
Boards of directors commonly ask for my assistance to address CEO performance. In most cases, it is not achievement of the company goals that is the issue, it is CEO behaviour...
July 1, 2020
The business news is filled with stories of failed mergers or acquisitions. Yet companies still have an appetite for growth through mergers or acquisitions. Why?
