Dealing with strategic tensions on the board: the role of the chair in fostering engagement and debate

Filipe Morais, A. Kakabadse, N. Kakabadse
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Abstract

This chapter presents the findings of a study of the chairs and CEOs of large UK listed companies, exploring the chair’s role in harnessing the capabilities of the board in order to deal with strategic tensions. The study draws on 30 in-depth exploratory interviews with chairs and CEOs and finds that chairs have a wide range of choices at their disposal in pursuit of the surfacing and handling of strategic tensions by the board. These choices include setting the tone, the policy and practice of engagement between non-executives and the business, and between the board and the CEO. It is essential for the chair to take a proactive approach and ensure that tension-generating topics are part of the agenda and that all board members, formal or not, are encouraged to attend committee work. Engagement is insufficient if it is not followed by appropriate debate. Chairs manage board dynamics and participants’ contributions during meetings, ensuring, by means of regular summarising and concluding, that tensions are confronted and discussed by all members and that a shared direction is agreed. Through such practice, chairs establish the degree of board involvement in strategy, aiming for an involvement that is both challenging and supportive of the executive and which is best described as interactive strategising. Boards of directors regularly face difficult, strategic-tension-generating issues, and this study offers fresh insight into the chair’s critical role as leader.
处理董事会的战略紧张关系:主席在促进参与和辩论中的作用
本章介绍了对英国大型上市公司董事长和首席执行官的研究结果,探讨了董事长在利用董事会能力以应对战略紧张局势方面的作用。该研究对董事长和首席执行官进行了30次深入的探索性访谈,发现董事长在寻求董事会提出和处理战略紧张关系方面有广泛的选择。这些选择包括确定基调、非执行董事与企业、董事会与首席执行官之间接触的政策和实践。主席必须采取积极主动的方式,确保引发紧张的议题成为议程的一部分,并鼓励所有董事会成员(无论正式与否)参加委员会的工作。如果没有适当的辩论,接触是不够的。主席在会议期间管理董事会动态和参与者的贡献,通过定期总结和总结,确保所有成员面对和讨论紧张局势,并就共同的方向达成一致。通过这样的实践,董事长确立了董事会对战略的参与程度,目标是既对高管具有挑战性,又对其提供支持,这种参与最好被描述为互动战略。董事会经常面临棘手的、引发战略紧张的问题,这项研究为董事长作为领导者的关键角色提供了新的视角。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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