How coaching can help build better Boards

by Chris Woodman

Much has been written about how to improve board effectiveness but rarely is coaching mentioned as a potential solution.  This is probably not surprising given that Executive Coaching has traditionally focused on, well, Executives.

Boards have a distinct role which is very different from the executive committee and there is a line between executive and non-executive responsibilities (but drawing that line in practice is not always easy).

In commercial organisations board members represent the shareholders, engage with stakeholders, set strategy, manage risk appetite and hold the management of the business to account.  The Chair plays a particularly critical role in leading the board, building the relationship with the CEO and setting the tone from the top.  In non-profit, charities and membership organisations the responsibilities are similar with shareholders replaced by different stakeholders.

Unlike the executive committee which brings together the leaders to manage and lead the businesses activities (they are on the pitch), boards are made up of primarily non-executive directors (with the CEO and CFO as representatives of the executive) and therefore have a very different role overseeing the business.  Executives devote every working day to the business, employed full-time in service of the execution of the strategy and business plans.  NED’s may sit on multiple boards, are often ‘self-employed’ and much more independent from the organisation.  The individual and team dynamic is very different.  Which makes coaching at Board level a little different.

There are several ways in which coaching can add value when it comes to the board:

• Individual coaching.
  • NED coaching. NEDs are often ploughing a lonely furrow (or several furrows).  They may be pursuing a plural career, connected to several organisations but not as deeply involved in them as the full-time executives.   We have found that onboarding coaching is particularly effective for enabling a new board member to integrate quickly to a board, define what role they might play and how to integrate quickly and make an impact more quickly and smoothly.  Coaches provide a confidential, safe place to explore thoughts and ideas relating to the company, the board, building relationships, constructive challenge and strategy.
  • Executive board member coaching. Executives on the board, frequently the CEO and CFO, have a foot in both camps, executive committee and board.  They spend their time on leading and managing the business and then have to step into the role of board member, with all of its’ governance responsibilities.  Coaching enables the executive board member to step back and consider the balance of their responsibilities, navigate the political complexities and deliver both their executive responsibilities successfully and fulfil their board responsibilities.
  • Aspiring Board Members. Coaching, mentoring and preparing the next generation of Board members is a specialised area of career transition.  The Chair of a board will have a space on the board for someone who brings specific skills, experience and perspectives they need.  They are not filling a job vacancy.  Aspiring board member needs to re-orientate from and executive mindset to a non-executive mindset and work out what value they might bring to any given board.
  • Executives supporting the Board. When a person begins to work with the board, maybe preparing board reports, presenting to the board or working directly with board members, they enter a new world with its’ own protocols and ways of working.  We provide workshops and individual coaching to people who want to be more effective in working with Boards.
• Board team coaching. As teams go, boards are a bit different.  There is a balance between an independent individual and the group.  Independent enough to avoid group think but collaborative enough to create an effective team.  The board is a place for constructive challenge and the expression of opinions and views which might be strongly held but not shared by others.  The definition of ego is a ‘sense of self-worth’ and sometimes at this most senior of levels, where successful people gather, some have a very strong sense of their self-worth.  But a board remain a team game and the Chair needs to work with board members to create the right culture and environment for high quality analysis, discussion and decision making.  Team coaches work with boards to understand the people dynamics, how to constructively handle the inevitable conflicts that might exist overtly or beneath the surface, build commitment to a strategy and how to work collectively to deliver good governance, work effectively to support executives whilst holding them to account for performance of the business.
• Chair as Coach. The Chair, and the Chairs of committees, have to bring out the best in fellow board members and those executives and advisors who operate in and around the board.  Coaching and facilitations skills are at the heart of creating an effective Board.  Asking questions, active listening, including different voices, summarising and reading the room are essential skills.   Although the Chair may not formally qualify as a coach (although we know of at least one Chair who qualified as a coach to enhance his skills at board level) developing and enhancing these skills can create very effective chairing capability.

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