How to keep strategy alive in the boardroom

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege and pleasure of working with 20 company directors on the strategy day of the Institute of Directors' Company Directors Course. Several delegates had a particular interest in how to keep strategy 'alive' in the boardroom. In their experience, boards start with good intentions but they quickly return to what they know best, monitoring and controlling. They agreed that boards are responsible for company performance (which means boards need to make decisions about the future of the business), so boards need to take strategy seriously. But many don't, which suggests that an important questions remains unanswered. How can boards keep the important matter of strategy alive?

I put the question to the group and we had a great discussion. After about 20 minutes of to-ing and fro-ing, the group seemed to settle on four main suggestions, as follows:

• To tip the agenda on its head. Rather than discuss action items, the risk register and performance reports (typically the chief executive's report and the financial report) first, the group thought strategic items should be discussed first, particularly if some major items were expected to need considerable time and careful attention.
• To ensure that reports were aligned directly with strategy. If the company was working to (say) four strategic priorities, then the chief executive's report should have a business performance overview followed by four sections, to demonstrate progress against each strategic imperative. The reports should also comment on the results actually being achieved vis-a-vis expected results.
• To ensure that a major element of strategy (one of the strategic priorities, for example) was tabled at every second meeting (to allow space for annual reporting, budget cycles and other compliance oriented matters that also need attention at other meetings). The purpose of the agenda item is to debate progress, explore environmental and contextual matters pertaining to the strategic priority.
• To create space for new information—particularly emerging trends and competitor news—and then to check whether the extant priorities were still valid and appropriate, or whether adjustments might be required.

These are great suggestions, and they are consistent with my research and experience. They appear to have 'reach' as well, from smaller companies just starting out with boards, right up to publicly-list enterprises. What was most heartening though was the reality check that came at the end of the discussion: many of the delegates agreed that the 'urgent' can and often does get in the way of the 'important'. Consequently, business-as-usual (monitoring and compliance items) can supplant strategy. A strong and vibrant relationship between the chairman and chief executive was thought to be vital, to ensure that the agenda was appropriate; that the reporting was at the right level; and, that the chief executive had the resources to execute on that which they were expected to deliver upon. Notwithstanding such efforts, individual directors need to make a commitment—to themselves and each other—to keep the conversation focussed on strategy, for the sake of the future performance on the company.