Overview
Most directors sincerely want to have a hand in strategy but aren't sure just how to get in; many CEOs understand the complexities they oversee so well that they despair at the thought of involving their directors in strategy. They have no trouble believing McKinsey that "fewer than 25% of directors know their organization's strategy" and "less than half are knowledgeable about the 4 or 5 key initiatives underway at any given time". Yet with proper grounding, the board's perspective on strategy can be its "defining moment".
We start with the view that the CEO is the chief strategist; the board owns the objectives. We work with leadership to co-create an approach that engages the board around reality-based challenges and choices rather than some theoretical notion of "best practices". We establish the preconditions for meaningful dialog in the interest of appropriately channeling the energies of leadership to building the organization, meeting the market and serving the broader stakeholder community in pursuit of a truly preferred future.