‘Overboarding’: the perils of sitting on too many boards
Mar 7, 2023
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Listen to management editor Anjli Raval and corporate governance expert Patricia Lenkov discuss the risks of 'overboarding', where directors take on too many board seats. They delve into the impact on director effectiveness, conflicts of interest, time management challenges, and the evolving expectations faced by board members. Gain insight into the constraints imposed by institutional investors and the qualities essential for excelling as a board director.
Overboarding refers to directors taking on too many board positions, risking their effectiveness.
Effective board members require specific expertise and general skills to provide guidance and strategic advice.
Deep dives
Importance of Commitment in Board Members
Board members are expected to dedicate serious time and effort to various board responsibilities, including attending multiple meetings annually, reviewing extensive paperwork, and engaging with organizational staff. This level of commitment, often amounting to one or two days per week, reflects the significant duties associated with holding a board seat at a public company.
Concerns Around Overboarding and Workload Increase
The concept of overboarding has emerged as an industry term to address the growing workload and responsibilities faced by board directors. Factors such as global crises, increased complexities, and regulatory demands have added to the time-consuming nature of board roles, leading to concerns about individuals taking on excessive board positions.
Skills and Qualities of Effective Board Directors
Effective board directors need a blend of specific expertise, such as in real estate or HR, and general skills like communication and critical thinking. The role demands individuals to provide guidance, hold accountability, and offer strategic advice without crossing into operational decisions. Being a board director requires a balance of active participation, professional skills, and the ability to challenge and support organizational strategies.
There's shareholder pressure not to allow directors to take on too many board seats at once, something that’s been called ‘overboarding’. Non-executive directors can now find themselves voted off a board by investors if they believe a director is spreading themselves too thinly to do a good job. So how many board positions is too many? Host Isabel Berwick hears from the FT’s management editor Anjli Raval and corporate governance expert Patricia Lenkov in the US, while the FT’s careers expert Jonathan Black has advice on what’s required to be a good board member.
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‘Overboarding’: why it has become a hot issue for companies
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Presented by Isabel Berwick. Produced by Manuela Saragosa and Audrey Tinline. The sound engineer is Breen Turner.