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    On change-friendly CEOs and the preservation of reputation

    Governance Management Performance Research Strategy
    I posted a link to an interesting article about change-friendly CEOs on LinkedIn earlier today. The posting seems to have struck a chord with several correspondents—both on LinkedIn and via direct message—so I thought some additional comments would not be amiss. 

    One correspondent suggested that interest in recruiting 'change-friendly' CEOs is nothing new, that advertisements have called for such attributes and capabilities for many years. I agree, because I've seen many similarly written advertisements as well.

    So why is the Heidrick & Struggles report news? I suspect it's because there is a yawning gap between desire and reality: advertisements call for one thing, yet recruitment processes and decisions prioritise something quite different.

    In my experience, many directors—particularly of larger, widely-held companies—seem to be more interested in preserving their reputations than in embracing change. They tend to make 'safe' choices that don't rock the boat too much. Rather than making choices that will enhance the company's future position, directors often make safer choices, to minimise the chance of failure and any resulting damage to their reputations. Protecting against failure can be smart, but when the mitigation of risk results in staying within safe harbours, the only loser is the company itself. How can a company succeed in a competitive market if it does no innovate or change in response to changing environmental conditions?

    The Heidrick & Struggles report is timely. It demonstrates that people are now talking about the right things. But when will Boards and shareholders take note of such reports, and adopt a more positive approach to recruitment, corporate strategy and company growth? Soon, I hope.
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    What corporate governance can learn from earthquakes

    Governance Management Performance Research Societal Wellbeing Strategy
    New Zealand endured a swarm of earthquakes earlier this week. The largest, at 6.5 on the Richter scale, caused damage and disruptions in Wellington. The CBD was 'shut down' for a day while damage was assessed and the area made safe. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. This morning, reports emerged that at least one heritage-listed building was too badly damaged for tenants to return. This highlights an interesting dilemma. We strive to preserve (and in some cases occupy) the past—hoping for the best—yet we need to plan for the future, lest unexpected events cause serious consequences.

    There are striking parallels between heritage buildings and corporate governance. Most directors know they are responsible for maximising company performance, yet most boards spend the majority of their time monitoring historical performance—looking backwards!
    Just as it is very difficult to drive safely if you spend most of your time looking through the rearview mirror, boards cannot hope to govern effectively if they spend the majority of their time reviewing reports and financial results. A glance to check progress should be sufficient. Directors need to take heed of this and change their focus, lest they inadvertently miss danger signs and run off the road as it were. Emerging research (including my current doctoral research, and an earlier project) suggests that time spent considering strategic options, developing strategy and making strategically important decisions—together with the executive—is time well spent.

    The earthquake event this week provided a wakeup call to building owners and occupiers in Wellington. An admiration of the past is not always the best option. Modern structures are needed to support modern society. Perhaps the experience gained through the earthquake can catalyse a change in the boardroom as well—from monitoring the past to planning for the future. Or am I hoping for too much?
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    Is long service helpful or is it a hindrance?

    Governance Management Performance Research
    An article that was published the Wall Street Journal this week—highlighting long service on corporate boards—has got me thinking. The author, Joann Lublin, provided a list of 28 directors who have served at least 40 years on a company board. That's right, on the same board. Gosh, that's seriously long service.

    In the last 40 years, much has changed in the business world including at least one oil shock (1973); a major stock market crash (1987); the emergence of the Internet and on-line commerce (mid-90s); and, a global financial crisis (2007–08). Yet through all of this time, some 28 men have continued to serve as directors on the same board.

    Is such long service helpful, or is it a hindrance? Superficially, we tend to applaud long service. It can be very helpful, particularly when difficult decisions need to be made. Long-serving directors are more likely to be able to draw on some prior experience—in terms of the situation, the decision made and the resultant outcomes—to help them make a more informed and appropriate decision this time around. However, things change, so experiences from years ago may not actually be that helpful in today's environment. Also, long serving directors can (and often do) become stale, and, as they do, their decision-making has a tendency to become more reserved.

    It is my view that a mix of fresh blood (for innovation) and longer-serving directors (for experience and continuity) is crucial to effective decision-making. Nobody is indispensable, despite appearing to be so at certain times. Ten to twelve years service is a reasonable upper limit, beyond which the value of one's contribution falls away. I found myself getting stale after eight or so years on a board that I served on during the 2000s, despite the organisation consistently exploring new innovations and strategic options. Based on this experience, how directors can continue to be effective contributors for three or four decades is beyond my comprehension. While I don't support compulsory upper limits on service, perhaps it is time for Boards and shareholders to look at their recruitment and appointment policies—for the good of the organisation and its stakeholders.
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    On making predictions about the future

    Phd Readings Research Societal Wellbeing
    I've been reading some back issues of The American Scholar recently, as part of my personal commitment to read widely and explore topics that I'd not normally think about. Reading widely is the side story of my quest to explain how Boards influence company performance. It provides a bit of balance to the humdrum of reading academic papers. 

    Some of the articles and books that I have read have really captured my attention and thought. One such article, originally published in the Spring 2010 issue of Scholar, summarised British philosopher A.C. Grayling's book Ideas that matter: The concepts that shape the 21st century. Grayling introduced 12 ideas that would, in his opinion, dominate public consciousness and debate during the century ahead. 

    This sounded remarkable, for the making of reliable predictions—especially longer-term predictions—is notoriously difficult. A reliance on empirical evidence can easily lead to erroneous conclusions—the White Swans Thesis is a famous case in point. Notwithstanding this, most, if not all, of Grayling's predictions are coming to pass, just three years after his thesis was published. What does this say about Grayling's ability to predict the future? Did he see something that most of us missed, or is Grayling's "long term view" actually much shorter than what readers might have assumed in reading the title? I suspect the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Call me a sceptic if you will, but I'm yet to see a robust case to suggest that the making of future predictions based on empirical historical evidence is anything more than intelligent guesswork.
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    Report: Most company failures are failures of governance

    Governance Performance Research Strategy
    A recent study, conducted by UK firm Reputability LLP, has found that failures of governance are at the seat of most company failures. A lack of [governance] skill and an inability to influence management were cited as the root cause of 88% of the failure cases studied. Gosh, that's nearly nine out of every ten failures attributable to poor governance! Information asymmetry, a tendency to rely on quantitative data (numbers) and poor 'soft' skills were identified contributing factors. The full report is available, for a fee, here.

    This report is an indictment on governance. It clearly exposes an underlying problem with governance. Boards, in general, are not operating effectively. I'm not particularly surprised by the findings of this study. Most corporate Boards operate within a framework called 'agency theory', whereby an adversarial relationship between the owner's representatives (the Board) and management exists. The Board sees its role as that of a policeman, to monitor and control management, in order to protect the interests of the owner(s). In such situations, trust is typically low, reputations are carefully protected, and information is shared carefully and sometimes under duress.

    The tragedy is that agency theory remains the dominant governance framework—in the western world at least—despite a seemingly endless body of evidence that shows companies are not well served by it. Perhaps this report might prompt Boards and shareholders to take stock, and consider other governance frameworks whereby Boards and management actually work together to maximise performance. After all, the evidence is compelling. Is that asking too much? 
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    On the aspirations of women in business

    Management Performance Research Societal Wellbeing
    The topic of gender diversity has been a popular theme in the popular press and academic literature in the last couple of years. Awareness groups have been formed to speak into the diversity debate, and to promote the interests of women in business. Research reports have identified a correlation between women and performance, in that the presence of women in Boardrooms and executive suites seems to enhance company performance. However, the research is not conclusive, and a sound causal explanation is yet to emerge.

    With all this interest and activity, you would think women would be actively pursuing executive positions, particularly the C-suite. I thought this as well—until I read McKinsey's report entitled Unlocking the full potential of women at work. The most intriguing insight was that, despite their career success, 59% of women said they did not aspire to the C-suite. The main reasons for the reluctance? Structural obstacles, lifestyle choices, and corporate politics in the C-suite. While the market seems to be keen to provide opportunities for women to participate in all levels of the business community (which I applaud), it seems that for some roles at least, women just aren't interested.