Given today’s rapidly changing corporate environment that is fraught with risks, regulations and high demands from investors, the board’s job is more challenging than ever. To ensure the highest level of performance, boards must assess their own board health, effectiveness and balance. Also, if you are an executive who seeks a seat in the boardroom,… Read More

Successful boards are diverse, including a group of dissimilar executives handpicked to support the organization’s strategic goals. Also, they have strong governance. They work within well-defined practices and rules that control the organization, which empowers them to pursue the organization’s strategic goals in a way that mitigates risk. Let’s talk about each of these fundamental… Read More

Among all the anxiety that the Coronavirus pandemic has wrought across the United States, there is the added uncertainty about what we will return to when the all-clear signal is finally given.  The post-crisis world will look and feel much different than before, if only because so many people have lost their jobs and life… Read More

As we all see it playing out right before our very own eyes, our country is under siege by something that you can’t see or touch. More than any other time in this century, lives are being lost, fortunes are being decimated and small business and entrepreneurs are seeing their dreams get obliterated right in… Read More

It seems to me that almost every executive I speak with aspires to serve on a corporate board. I must say by experience, achieving your first board seat, or even the second will likely be the most difficult, arduous task you will accomplish in your entire professional career. There are a multitude of reasons as… Read More

A fleeting moment and anything can change. We often think we have control of what is next, but often we are surprised, confused and found in a place for which we are not ready. There you are, in your executive role, with all indicators that you are performing, its working and everyone, including the board… Read More

Obsolescence should not be feared. While it signals the end of something familiar, it welcomes a new way forward. We have reached this crossroads with retained executive search. It is obsolete. Today, the retained executive search process is costly. Frequently, after lengthy recruiting processes, retained searches deliver new board members who fit poorly with the… Read More

In last week’s post, Investor Expectations – Boards of Directors, I began to examine what investors expect from their boards of directors where they invest.  I dove into investor trends, shareholder activism, board skill requirements and board diversity. Expanding on last week’s post, this week I will dive further into what investors expect from their… Read More

Although investor activism campaigns are on the rise, it is not just the activist investors who have become more vocal.  In fact, investors in general are becoming increasingly vocal about their expectations of boards of directors.  So, what are the current investor expectations of the boards of directors where they invest? How do investors evaluate… Read More

What is an activist investor and why is everybody talking about activist investors in the Boardroom?   We are all aware of one well-known activist investor, Carl Icahn, who has attempted major changes at a host of name-brand companies. My clients are seeking clarity about the activist investors’ role; the pros, cons and what’s on the… Read More