The Better Boards Podcast Series

Send us a textThe Role of the Board in the Age of Digital TransformationThe subject of this episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series is " The role of the board in the age of digital transformation. "  Lisa Harrington speaks with Dr Sabine Dembkowski.The digital world has impacted the world of the boardroom significantly.  Board members now need to adapt to the threats and challenges the new, digital world presents.Lisa is an internationally experienced FTSE Executive and Non-Executive Director. She has spent 25+ years in customer and digital transformation roles across telecoms, technology, education and utilities businesses.  She spent ten years with Accenture, followed by ten years with British Telecom, including her final role as Group Chief Customer Officer. Lisa is currently enjoying a portfolio career on sits on the Board of Post Office UK and Digital 9 Infrastructure Plc. Her 13 years' board exposure has included a first-hand experience of FTSE listings and de-listings, M&A, digital and product innovations. Some of the key takeaways of the conversation include:"Digital transformation is about changing your whole business model to be fit for the future"Lisa feels that "digital transformation" is a rather outdated phrase.  Some people think it means bringing in apps and devices, but digital transformation is about changing the whole business model to be fit for the future.This transformation was already upon us, but the Covid pandemic has meant the pace of change in digitally transforming the boardroom has accelerated beyond all expectations.  Lisa details how she witnessed "the pace of change of three years in three months."  The pandemic created sudden culture shifts. Many previously rejected changes have gone on to be accepted during this time of upheaval.The importance of digital gaps and how to fill themThis pace of change has affected the role of the board as well.  Lisa emphasises the importance of leadership and establishing a model for people to follow.  She also acknowledges the importance of "digital gaps."  Boards may not currently be prepared to adapt to changes the digital world brings, not just with regard to technology but also in board makeup, skills and experience.She suggests that boards can improve by bringing in people who may be inexperienced in other areas but who could bring the digital skills and technological 'savvy' that could further boost boardrooms when dealing with digital issues."Companies need to look at the mid-term and the long-term, not just short-term"Lisa outlines how boardrooms need to start with everyone wanting to change their culture.  However, she also admits this may mean some legacy businesses risk eroding a business model they already have. "The elephant in the room is huge, but you've got to start"Changing attitudes to the new, digital culture (especially in the boardroom) is a big task.  Lisa believes that getting the right people in and achieving some quick wins can help.  Getting the right people in will help develop a more creative mindset towards digital transformation - one that reflects the changing world.If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textAs a blind man, David has faced many different challenges, while at the same time overcoming them to have an impressive career in banking, as Director of Service of the Royal National Institute of Blind People, and as a Non-Executive Director on the board of the British Paralympic Association, the St Albans and District Chamber of Commerce as well as being a member of the FA Council.Some of the key takeaways of the conversation include:“It’s only when you feel excluded that you become anxious about getting inclusion right”Different voices bring a different perspective to the table.  David relates his own issues growing up blind when as a child he was unable to play sport due to the lack of pathway or access. This extended to rejection by two universities due to lack of resources to include him and eventually being turned down for jobs despite his degree in Politics and Masters in Diplomacy.There has been much progress recently, for example, the pandemic has shown that meetings can be attended virtually, removing one important barrier to inclusion carers or those with difficulty traveling.  However, there are still many practical issues with inclusion.  “You can have the right attitude but getting it wrong on the operational side can leave you floundering”David relates how organisations should be asking whether inclusion is a driver, or if it is simply the right words to remain on the right side of public opinion.  He is quick to emphasise that none of this is about blame, but it is easy to get it right.  Organisations should reach out to affected groups, seek advice about inclusion, and open up pathways for diverse groups where organisations have traditionally been less proportionately inclusive.  Some members of excluded groups may not have the necessary skills for example, and organisations could accelerate the process to give them the skills and experience they need.It does not matter how many people you have in the boardroom, there will be voices not being heard in that roomA sufficiently diverse boardroom is a huge asset, and regardless of the type of organisation, David believes that inclusion should cover those voices that are not currently included in the boardroom.  Boards need to actively consider who is excluded - and how the boardroom could benefit from hearing those voices. Being beneficial in terms of diversity, this also leads to more informed and well-rounded decisions and can avoid stereotyping particular groups.  However, there are barriers to inclusion in the boardroom.  For only one example, screen reader technology is not currently compatible with all major board portals.We often ask “Who is in the boardroom?”, but David Clark asks a very different and powerful question: “Who is not in the boardroom?”  Don’t forget to subscribe never to miss an episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series. Available on all major podcast directories like Apple, Spotify or Google.To find out how you can participate in the Better Boards Podcast Series or more information on Better Boards’solutions, please email us at If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textThe speed of change in digitisation is ever-increasing, but not all Directors feel at ease with new, digital ways of working in their boardrooms.  However, boards simply must adapt as digitisation does not stop at the boardroom door.  Maddie is a Chartered Secretary who has supported various companies, from FTSE 100 to small private companies. In her current role as UK Managing Director for Computershare Governance Services, she leads a team of Company Secretaries who support listed and private companies to maintain compliance and enhance their governance.  Some of the key takeaways of the conversation include: "We have become more used to virtual meetings… it's not as contrived as it perhaps seems"The pandemic has forced virtual meetings to become everyday occurrences.  Most boards know these bring increased efficiency and reduced cost, but Maddie Scrafton believes that the quality of virtual conversation depends on how willing board members are to embrace it.  She acknowledges the difficulty of creating a natural group dynamic when people are not physically in the room together. Solutions typically include more formal routes, such as additional sub-committees or mid-meetings between more formal meetings, to ensure ongoing discussions in a more relaxed, social way.  However, more innovative or creative solutions have been found in some virtual boardrooms.   Maddie explains how one company pre-recorded presentations, enabling members to focus in the boardroom on the issues raised rather than the presentations themselves.  Sabine also describes one board that served lunch to all members at the same time, simulating eating together. "You need robust debate, and it helps to be in the room" The jump to the virtual world is not always appropriate, and movement toward a hybrid model is becoming increasingly common.  Transactional and "business as usual" decisions are ideal for virtual meetings, however for subjects that might benefit from more challenge, such as strategy or year-end results, in person, 'in the room' meetings will still be better. "It is important for board members to have a consistent understanding of the terminology and meaning of technology" Boards are now more aware of technology and technical terminology. However, although some are increasingly 'tech savvy,' not all boards benefit.  Digital portals may be the standard in the boardroom for larger or FTSE-100 companies. Still, smaller companies may be unaware of the benefits, reluctant to implement, or simply not have considered how technology can help with their working processes.   "We should be making communication simpler, not more complex… Just because you can do something and make it more complex doesn't mean you should" Technology moves quickly, and boards may need to use external advice or board training. Still, many technologies may actually be easy for directors to use at the front end but laborious behind the scenes.  Maddie describes the increasingly complex tasks portal technology can do, such as minute templates, providing market information, and chat functionality.  In practice, very few companies are using even a fraction of this capability, so there is a huge amount of gain still to be realised from technology in the boardroom.   Don't forget to subscribe never to miss an episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series. The Better Boards podcast series is available on all major podcast directories like If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textIn this episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series we look at the challenges of responding to the ESG agenda, point towards the legal challenges and highlight what good looks like.   Dr Sabine Dembkowski spoke with Anna-Marie Slot and Will Chalk.Rapidly developing legal and voluntary frameworks, stakeholder demands and increasing environmental concerns all mean that ESG is fast becoming a top priority for businesses across the world. To the extent that they ever weren't, boards are now under a legal obligation to respond to certain aspects of the debate – so it's no longer a case of simply wanting to do the right thing, in certain areas it's a question of being compelled to.The IPCC's recent report that climate change is widespread, rapid, and intensifying, are only likely to add further impetus to ESG-related policy responses.  Named Most Innovative Sustainable Lawyer at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards, Anna-Marie Slot is Global ESG/Sustainability Partner and Global Head of High Yield at Ashurst, leading the firm's ESG strategy. She created and launched the firm's Sustainability Goals, and first digital product, "ESG Ready", as well as its first ESG-related podcast series, "30 for Net Zero 30".Will Chalk is Ashurst's UK Head of Corporate Governance, providing strategic governance advice to FTSE-listed, AIM-quoted and larger private companies, including guiding their responses to the increasingly important ESG agenda.Some of the key takeaways of the conversation include:“Sustainable finance directives keep coming at pace”Increased UK and EU regulation in terms of climate risk is challenging the balance between impact on the environment and other issues, such as the responsibility to stakeholders, workers and community. Companies are now taking a broader view of risk and how external forces can influence it.  Approaching half of the FTSE250 companies now have additional committees, many of them focused on ESG and related issues. “Don’t rush that initial stage”Anna-Marie notes that companies are now taking a more holistic approach of where risk exists and how to address this. Investors are looking at things through “different lenses”, not simply at legal obligations.  Will believes that companies who start with their corporate purpose, and take time to create an ESG roadmap, outline objectives, and develop a framework for their business will pay dividends in the future.  But do the board or senior management have the skills and knowledge to handle these issues? Anna-Marie emphasises leading from the top, working through cross-divisional groups with engagement across the management team, as opposed to having it focused on one particular department.  Different approaches that companies might use include climate champions, taskforces, and forums with a focus on younger employees.  She feels it is important to set both the current and future definitions of “what good looks like”. Some companies need to establish data sources and the baseline to set targets – and acquiring and assuring this data can be difficult.“The best in class will get out there early”Companies want to see targets, specificity and roadmaps from governments, as opposed to new technology being touted as a ‘magic wand’.  Anna-Marie says, “the best in class will get out there early”, in effect outlining how early adopters might take control of this conversation aIf you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textAwareness grows that we need people around the table that bring in different perspectives to tackle the challenges of today. However, let´s face it, different perspectives in the boardroom can also be challenging and difficult to handle. Not seldom have I heard that a Directors who bring different perspectives to the table is are perceived to be “difficult”, “annoying”, and “hard to deal with”. It needs skills to turn a different perspective into a value add. I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. The Better Boards Podcast has been selected as one of the Top 10 Corporate Governance Podcasts by Feedspot.  If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textThe role of an Executive differs from that of a Non-Executive on a board. The hands-on qualities that are appreciated in an Executive setting might be experiences as interference by management if applied in a board role. Some CEOs make a move to chairman without missing a beat. They understand how to leverage their executive experience and won't interfere with their decisions unless the long-term interests of the business and its stakeholders are threatened. Others, it's fair to say, aren't quite so enlightened and fuel preconceptions that put up barriers for those that wish to make the transition. Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, I am thrilled to talk with Steve Holliday. Steve has been Chief Executive Officer of the FTSE100 organisation National Grid for ten years and has successfully transitioned to Chair and Non-Executive Director.I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. The Better Boards Podcast has been selected as one of the Top 10 Corporate Governance Podcasts by Feedspot.  If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textThe Parker review displayed the status of racial diversity on board in the UK and set targets. Progress in appointing Directors with an ethnical background is slow and targets set by the Parker Review for the UK are missed. A group of senior leaders has come together and is committed to taking action to increase racial and ethical diversity in their businesses.  What are their motives? What challenges do they face? Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, Dr Sabine Dembkowski talks with Richard DeNetto from the CBI about increasing racial and ethical diversity on FTSE boards. As our loyal listeners know, our aim is to inspire, share good practice and offer ideas about how you can create more effective and high-performing boards. Richard heads up the initiative Change the Race Ratio. He is close to the over 90 signatories and understands the challenges in initiating change.I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfil our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards.Richard DeNetto was Associate Director for the CBI East of England before joining the team to launch Change the Race Ratio alongside business leaders in Aviva, Deloitte and Schroders.  Richard has a track record of running people related businesses and operations across both management and director level staffing firms and as the CIPD’s Chair for Cambridgeshire and Treasurer for Mid and North Anglia.  Improving Ethnic and Racial diversity in business is personally important to Richard.  Richard is of mixed ethnicity Asian and White.  Is father’s side of the family are proudly Anglo Indian emigrating to the UK from India in the 60’s.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. The Better Boards Podcast has been selected as one of the Top 10 Corporate Governance Podcasts by Feedspot.     If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textWe are all clear that we want to create effective and high-performing boards. A whole industry has developed around board evaluations. Some are cynical about this. Academics and consultants propose different models and solutions. In my view, there is no right or wrong. Different approaches work in a different context. We find that the most crucial part is that board have data, gain insights and act. Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Ralph Schubert about creating a high-performance culture in the boardroom. As our loyal listeners know, our aim is to inspire, share good practice and give you ideas about how you can create more effective and high-performing boards. Ralph comes to this subject from a different angle than governance professionals. He has worked for many years with winning teams in Formula 1 and applies now his insights and learnings in boardrooms across Europe.  I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfil our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards.Ralph Schubert is a Senior Partner at Coverdale Team Management in Germany. For years he worked with the most successful Formula 1 and DTM racing teams. His intimate understanding of winning teams leads to the development of his thinking and approach to peak performance and culture. Today he applies the learning from Formula 1 in his work with boards of German DAX organisations. Ralph studied Computer Science and started his career as a System Analyst. How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. The Better Boards Podcast has been selected as one of the Top 10 Corporate Governance Podcasts by Feedspot.    If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textMuch has been written about the roles of executives and non-executives on boards and mostly from a pure governance perspective. What is often missing is the clarity and the practical relevance. Alignment comes before effectiveness.Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Jim Haudan about “Going beyond governance – The art of talking about what really matters”. I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes.To fulfil our mission, we give a voice to all who care about creating better boards Jim Haudan is Co-founder, and Chief Executive Officer of Root Learning and has more than 20 years of experience helping organisations and individuals unleash hidden potential by fully engaging people in the critical changes of their business. He has worked with thousands of leaders around the globe and many Fortune 500 boards.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. The Better Boards Podcast has been selected as one of the Top 10 Corporate Governance Podcasts by Feedspot.        If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textMuch has been written about the roles of executives and non-executives on boards and mostly from a pure governance perspective. What is often missing is the clarity and the practical relevance. Alignment comes before effectiveness.Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Ken Schuetz about "The Alignment of Executives and Non-Executives in the Boardroom".I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes.To fulfil our mission, we give a voice to all who care about creating better boards. Ken Schuetz is the creator of the Aligned Influence model. He invested the first 25 years of his career as an executive at the University of Colorado, and where he currently is a member of the teaching faculty of the Leeds School of Business. Ken has served on the boards of schools, churches, and non-profits as well as the chairman of the Substantial Services Taskforce for the National Education Broadband Service Association and the International Development Committee for St. Vrain Valley Habitat for Humanity.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. The Better Boards Podcast has been selected as one of the Top 10 Corporate Governance Podcasts by Feedspot.       If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.