What if a board chair was an animal? - Peter Crow | Helping boards govern with impact

“If a high-performing board chair was an animal, what animal would it be?”

This was the opening question to panelists at a High Performing Chair conversation hosted by the Institute of Directors in Tauranga last evening. I had the privilege of serving on the panel alongside Debbie Ireland and Nathan Flowerday to offer some comments about our experiences chairing the boards of large, medium and smaller organisations.

The opening question set the tone for what followed, for it got those in attendance thinking, about the capabilities and attributes of an effective chair, and what distinguishes a good chair from a great one. The responses from the panelists were instructive; three different perspectives drawing out critical attributes common amongst highly-effective chairs:

Wolf: sometimes out the front, sometimes amongst, and sometimes leading from the rear.
Kea: naturally inquisitive, tenacious, asking questions
Lion: power by presence, overseeing, exercising strength when needed

Panelists went on to respond to a wide range of questions from both the moderator and the floor, covering such matters as meeting management, chair–chief executive relations, communications, tenure, balancing priorities, handling crises, continuing development, and strategic decision-making.

Thanks to Brian Staunton, for your expert moderation of the panel, and the Institute, for hosting the conversation. I came away more well-informed than before, and hope those in attendance did too.