The Human Experience of Being-in-the-Board: A Phenomenological Approach

Abstract

Corporate Governance research so far practically ignores the human experience of being-in-the-board as a source of understanding board practices, board performance and its strengths and weaknesses. This article takes a phenomenological approach to describe key, structural features of boards that inform members of the board on how to behave. Board members make sense of the complexity of these features in different ways, determined by their personal characters, drives, values, virtues, experiences and world views. Boards would benefit hugely from developing a reflective practice of uncovering, sharing and discussing their mutual experiences of being-in-the-board. Academically, becoming aware of the crucial role of human experience of being-in-the-board for the performance of the board should lead to very different types of research.