Partnering Leadership
382 Why Strategy Fails Without the Right Board: Didier Cossin on High Performance Boards & Decision-Making at the Top
What if the greatest risk to your organization isn't economic uncertainty, market volatility, or disruptive technology—but the decisions being made in your own boardroom?
In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Didier Cossin, IMD professor and global expert in board governance, whose book High Performance Boards has become a must-read for senior leaders looking to elevate board effectiveness. Drawing from decades of research, real-world consulting, and cross-disciplinary experience—including economics, risk management, and even poetry—Cossin brings a powerful lens to what leadership at the top should really look like.
Cossin argues that governance has been misunderstood by many organizations as a compliance function, rather than what it truly is: a system that shapes the quality of executive decisions. He challenges CEOs and board members to rethink how they engage with one another, what information they rely on, and who actually owns governance performance. The result is a compelling case for boards as enablers of transformation—not just overseers of risk.
Throughout the conversation, Cossin shares examples and frameworks that translate theory into practice. He offers clarity on how boards can evolve to meet the complexity of today’s environment while helping CEOs make better, faster, and more strategic decisions. From the role of the chair to the structure of board packs to the power of informal intelligence, every element of this conversation is designed to elevate how boards contribute to long-term success.
If you are a CEO, board member, or executive leader committed to high-performance leadership and long-term impact, this episode offers both insight and challenge to help you lead more effectively—starting at the top.
Actionable Takeaways
- Hear how Didier Cossin reframes governance as a driver of decision quality—not just risk oversight or compliance.
- Learn why the chair, not the CEO, is ultimately responsible for board performance—and why that distinction matters.
- Discover how most boards are overwhelmed with information but still lack the intelligence needed for high-quality decisions.
- Understand the four levers of board performance—people, information, structure, and culture—and how each one shapes outcomes.
- Explore how the CEO-chair relationship must be intentionally designed, not assumed, for true alignment and accountability.
- Find out why board materials should be curated like an executive dashboard—and how overstuffed board books hinder strategic conversations.
- Learn how boards should evolve from approving strategy to actively shaping it—especially in complex and fast-moving environments.
- Reflect on how strong governance creates the organizational capacity to adapt, lead, and perform over the long term.
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