A Year in the Life of a Director

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a board member?In this episode, Rob Galford and Susan Paley examine what a typical year looks like for public company directors. They discuss board calendars, agenda setting, best practices to avoid asymmetric information, and how to improve the experience of being a board member.Host: Susan Paley, NACD advisorGuest: Robert M. Galford, lead independent director, Forrester Research; managing partner, Center for Leading OrganizationsNACD Resources:Modernizing the Boardroom: Rethinking Meetings for Real Impact (event)Director FAQ: Setting the Board Calendar and Meeting AgendasVisit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

It’s one thing to be smart and curious. But to truly differentiate yourself as a leader requires processing time to look for patterns, lessons, and insights, says Adam Bryant.In this episode, Bryant and Susan Paley discuss the difficulties of and the motivations behind modern leadership, including the importance of listening, the paradoxes of leadership, and how the best leadership wisdom is also life wisdom.Host: Susan Paley, NACD advisorGuest: Adam Bryant, senior managing director and partner with the ExCo Group, former Corner Office columnist for the New York Times, author of The Leap to Leader, and coauthor of The CEO TestNACD Resources:Twenty-First–Century Board Oversight of Talent and SuccessionSummer Reading: The Evolving Nature of LeadershipVisit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

Mentorship should be a two-way street, according to board member Barbara Adachi, NACD.DC.Adachi, Lori N. Mackenzie, and Raquel Suarez discuss the role of mentorship in the boardroom, including what defines an effective mentor-mentee relationship, whether and how to formalize mentorship programs, and how mentees, mentors, and the board can benefit from the engagement.Host: Raquel Suarez, NACD senior manager of diversity, equity, and inclusionGuests: Barbara Adachi, board member at Atlas Technology Solutions, Old Republic International Corp., and VSP Vision; Lori Mackenzie, cofounder of the VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab at Stanford University and advisor to August PublicNACD Resources:Board Mentorship Program Guidelines SampleNACD Blue Ribbon Commission Report, Culture as the Foundation: Building a High-Performance BoardVisit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

There’s one major rule for executives to lay a strong foundation with the board: no surprises, says board and C-suite member Peggy Foran.Foran and NACD advisor Susan Paley discuss the who, what, when, where, why, and how of executive engagement with the board, including what boards expect from executives, how executives can effectively prepare for board and committee meetings, and the key elements that foster a strong board-management relationship.Host: Susan Paley, NACD advisorGuests: Peggy Foran, chief governance officer, senior vice president, and corporate secretary of Prudential Financial and a board member at Orion Group HoldingsNACD Resources:How Boards and CEOs Can Establish a Strong Relationship10 Steps to a Better Board PartnershipVisit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

Directors should focus on purpose, not partisanship, says Bruce Haynes. Haynes, who works in crisis communications and reputation management, and board member Anne Alonzo chat with NACD advisor Susan Paley about strategies for boards to prevent controversial issues from escalating into crises and how they can facilitate effective conversations on difficult topics, especially in the context of the upcoming US election. Host: Susan Paley, NACD advisor Guests: Anne Alonzo, board member at PotlatchDeltic Corp. and Until Corp.; Bruce Haynes, senior vice president of corporate and external affairs at Charles River Laboratories NACD Resources:·      Election Insights·      Boardroom Diplomacy: Mastering the Art of Difficult Conversations Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

Why should global governance trends matter to US boards? Board member Mary McDowell and Russell Reynolds’s Rich Fields join NACD’s Friso van der Oord to discuss the themes dominating boardrooms around the world and how US governance compares to governance in other countries, with a close look at the United Kingdom.Host: Friso van der Oord, NACD senior vice president of contentGuests: Mary McDowell, nonexecutive director at Arrow Electronics and Autodesk and senior independent director at Informa; Rich Fields, head of the Russell Reynolds Board Effectiveness Practice and a member of the firm’s Board and CEO Advisory Partners NACD Resources:Global Risks Are Intensifying: Here Is What Boards Should KnowDigital Transformation: How to Unlock Innovation and Growth With Emerging Technologies—A GNDI Quick GuideVisit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

You’re contacted about a board opportunity. What happens next?Mary Beth Vitale, a director on multiple boards, and Chuck Gray, coleader of Egon Zehnder’s US CEO and Board Practice, join NACD’s Susan Paley to chat about what candidates can expect from the recruitment process, how to prepare for board interviews, and what role search firms play.Host: Susan PaleyGuests: Mary Beth Vitale, board member at Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) and Luna Innovations, and an NACD faculty member; Chuck Gray, coleader of Egon Zehnder’s US CEO and Board PracticeNACD resources:How to Prepare and Interview for a Private Company Board SeatDirector FAQ: Finding Your Next Board SeatVisit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

It’s all about self-discovery.Lisa Shalett, cofounder of Extraordinary Women on Boards, joins Susan Paley, NACD vice president of the chapter network, to discuss how anyone can start on their path to board service through networking, continuous learning, and self-investigation.Host: Susan Paley, NACD vice president of the chapter networkGuest: Lisa M. Shalett, cofounder of Extraordinary Women on Boards, a board member at MPower Partners and PennyMac Financial Services, and a former partner at Goldman SachsNACD resources:Demystifying the Path to Board ServiceGet Out the Map: The Journey to Your First Board SeatVisit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

Listen and learn before you speak or lead—that’s Oscar Munoz’s motto. Oscar Munoz, former chair and CEO of United Airlines, joins Susan Paley, NACD vice president of the chapter network, to talk about his journey to the C-suite and the boardroom, as well as his early influences and the importance of empathy and authenticity. Host: Susan Paley, NACD vice president of the chapter network Guest: Oscar Munoz, former chair and CEO of United Airlines; board member at Archer Aviation, CBRE Group, Salesforce, and TelevisaUnivision; a trustee of The Brookings Institution, Fidelity’s Equity and High-Income Funds, and University of Southern California; and author of the best-selling book, Turnaround Time: Uniting an Airline and Its Employees in the Friendly Skies NACD resources:·      Culture as the Foundation: Building a High-Performance Board·      Workforces: A “Wicked Problem” Where Boards Can Help Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information. 

Corporate boards are no longer simply a legal structure, but a body of humans in the spotlight.Peter R. Gleason, NACD president and CEO, joins Friso van der Oord, NACD senior vice president of content, to discuss how governance has changed over Gleason’s time in the field and how it will change in the future.Host: Friso van der Oord, NACD senior vice president of contentGuest: Peter R. Gleason, NACD president and CEONACD resources:The Future of the American Board: A Framework for Governing Into the FutureIt’s Time to Restore Balance in the Board-CEO RelationshipVisit nacdonline.org for further research and information.