The Savvy Director >> Weekly insights delivered to your inbox on Sunday mornings. Click here

The Savvy Director Blog

Welcome to The Savvy Director™ blog, a place to engage on board governance topics as you travel the path to being a savvy director.

If you're interested in upping your game at the board table, no matter the size of your board or the type of organization you serve, subscribe below to receive a weekly link right in your email inbox.

When to Stop Talking

collaborate with others Feb 06, 2022

This response from a Savvy Director reader to the question ‘What boardroom skills do you want to learn?’ caught my attention:

“Knowing when there is no added value to ongoing discussion.”

You might think that particular skill is one that needs to be exercised by the board chair. After all, it’s the chair’s responsibility to guide the discussion, make sure all voices have been heard, and recognize when the time is right to bring the discussion...

Making Arguments with Impact

think independently Jan 16, 2022

One skill that Savvy Directors are always interested in improving is their ability to make clear concise arguments. When their board is faced with a decision, they want to express their views on the issue and try to convince their fellow directors.

Having influence in the boardroom requires good communication skills, like active listening and knowing how to ask tough but fair questions. But sooner or later every director has to speak up – otherwise you might as well pack up and...

The Fading Bright Line

build governance skills Jan 09, 2022

Directors - both new and experienced – often struggle with differentiating their role from that of management. As a board member – whatever the nature of the organization you serve – you want to get a handle on your governance role.

“I would like to find out more about / receive a refresher on the division of governance and operations – what falls under governance, operations, or possibly joint responsibility.” – A Savvy Director reader

...

The Road Ahead

your governance journey Jan 02, 2022

Late in the year we asked you - our readers - to share your issues, your concerns, and your challenges as you continue along your journey to be the most effective director you can be. We rely on your feedback to help us stay on track, so we can provide what board directors like you want and need for the road ahead, in 2022 and beyond.

And boy, did we get some valuable feedback! There’s no question about it – our readers are absolutely dedicated to this work. We’ve...

Sharpening the Saw

build governance skills Dec 12, 2021

“Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have – you.” – Stephen R. Covey

It’s been 30 years since Dr. Stephen R. Covey published his bestselling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, but it’s still going strong. And one of the most enduring of Dr. Covey’s seven habits is to ‘Sharpen the Saw.’ It’s about taking the time for self-renewal - constantly improving to become our best selves.

For the...

The Savvy Director Celebrates 100

your governance journey Dec 05, 2021

Today at DirectorPrep, we are celebrating our 100th post of The Savvy Director blog!

We published our very first, Why The Savvy Director? in October of 2019. Who knew how much the world would change in those two years?

Here’s how we introduced our new blog:

“This is a place for us to engage on topics that can help us on our respective journeys toward becoming savvy board directors – directors who are always prepared for our board meetings, ready to...

The Board's Campfire

build governance skills Nov 28, 2021

Building a great board of directors is like building the perfect campfire. You have to picture how high the flames might leap or how far the sparks could fly.

I’ve had this metaphor in the back of my mind for some time. I’ve always been fascinated by fires – campfires as a Cub Scout camping in the Rockies, and now wood-burning fires in the old brick fireplace of our vintage home.

I snapped the photo above during one of my favorite moments - early on a...

Risk Governance Revisited

prepare for meetings Nov 21, 2021

Recently we re-published an earlier blog post, “What do I need to know about risk?” and shared The Savvy Director Guide to Risk with our subscribers as well as our network on LinkedIn.

Of course, there’s no way that a single blog post can cover the full breadth of a complex topic like risk. After all, there are entire books and courses of study devoted to the subject. Comments from some of our Savvy Director readers gave us great ideas for a follow-up blog on the topic.

...

Where should I sit?

collaborate with others Nov 14, 2021

If your board is now contemplating the transition from virtual meetings back to in-person ones, you may once again be confronted with the dreaded decision, “Where should I sit?”

Okay, I get that this is not the most urgent and compelling matter in front of a board director, but it may actually cause you a small amount of anxiety when you're confronted with all those empty chairs. I know that, personally, I've been grateful for tent cards in such a situation.

Is there a right...

Getting a Handle on Inflation Risk

prepare for meetings Nov 07, 2021

I’m willing to bet that the majority of Savvy Director readers are not economists or financial experts. And neither am I.

But a recent comment from DirectorPrep co-founder Dave Jaworski – following one of his board meetings – got us thinking about what the board needs to know about inflation, and what kind of questions might a director want to ask.

So, this week’s blog post will delve into how savvy board directors are thinking about inflation. But...