69. Ask Big Questions in Advance

SCRIPT: Just about everyone I work with in the corporate governance space works on some version of the question “how do we get boards to be more strategic?” The first hard part about that question is that “being strategic” isn’t really a useful or tangible objective without further definition. Mostly, what we mean when we talk about strategy-focused boards – in my opinion, at least – is that they have figured out an approach that helps them focus on the future – the ways the organization might have the most success, the critical risks they might face, and how they might be ready to change direction and thrive under unexpected circumstances. Doing all that is really hard for anyone, and especially hard for groups of people, and ESPECIALLY hard if those people aren’t thinking about the organization all day every day. I meet a lot of managers that try to set up future oriented discussion in their boardrooms by asking directors big important questions on the spot and hoping that directors will spontaneously improvise brilliant answers. Most people – even super brilliant people – don’t do their best work under those conditions. So here’s my first bit of advice on this front. If you want brilliant answers to big questions, give your board lots of time – give them the questions way in advance. Like, a week, maybe. See if it makes a difference.