Along with the mystery of how to land the first board seat, comes the second mystery – understanding board of directors’ compensation.  As potential clients of Summit Executive Resources consider the path to independent directorships, we are often asked for our insights into what components and how much is 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… Read More

It is quite refreshing to hear that corporate boards are finally turning their agenda toward talent. Institutional investors are getting involved in the topic of talent. Corporate boards are starting to engage on talent issues. At least half of boards are talking about talent management and the human capital agenda,… Read More

In prior posts, I have discussed various topics related to corporate boards, such board recruitment, timing and compensation.  But, what if you have found yourself serving on your first corporate board?  How will you know the steps for effective board meeting preparation? Not only will it help you, but preparation… Read More

I have written quite a few earlier posts regarding how to effectively build your network, but how do you network when you are an introvert?  While extroverts typically flourish and are energized by networking events, most introverts loath the idea of having to “work a room”.  From a borderline introvert/extrovert… 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,… Read More

This primer is applicable to mid-market companies across several industries including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, retail and financial services. For mid-market companies, the average board encompasses nine directors with approximately 80% of those being independent directors. There is a direct correlation between the size (revenues) of a company and… Read More

Imagine a leadership training program disguised as a baseball team. Gathered in the outfield after the championship game, the Captain stood and pointed to each player, citing their contributions throughout the season. Each player beamed with pride as some highlight of his performance was detailed. The victory had truly been… Read More

Q: I’ve been elected to my first board seat, a mid-cap regional health services firm.  I’m familiar with this sector and the company, have spoken with the management team, and know a couple of current board members, so I have the essentials pretty well.  But now, ten days before my… Read More

As I prepare for a speaking engagement set for tomorrow at the Military Officer’s Association of America (MOAA), I can’t help to ponder what I have been asked to speak about.  The agenda is for me to speak about best practices for working with retained and contingent recruiters. So, I… Read More