The Savvy Director Blog

This blog explores how AI tools can help directors strengthen their independent thinking, ask better questions, and prepare for discussions more effectively. It shows how AI can be a thinking partner without replacing judgment.

If you’ve been hesitant to try AI, you’re not alone — and you’re not behind. Many board directors are still figuring out where AI fits into their governance work.

The good news? You don’t need to be a tech expert to benefit from AI. You just need to be curious and w...

From strategy to risk to people, the right questions can unlock better governance outcomes. This post provides six simple but powerful questions every director can use to improve their effectiveness and impact.

At DirectorPrep, we’re obsessed with questions. Asking clear, compelling questions is often the best way that we, as directors, can make a significant contribution to discussions and influence board decisions.

We use questions to clarify information, launch and build on meaningful d...

 

As complexity and disruption accelerate, boards must rethink how they interpret risk, strategy, and leadership. This post uses the BANI framework to show how a more human-centered approach can strengthen organizational resilience.

Here’s a new acronym for you. BANI. It stands for Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible. These four words form a framework that’s meant to describe the current state of the world.

Futurist Jamais Cascio created the BANI framework as a way of dealin...

Committees can either enhance board effectiveness or create unnecessary complexity. This post shows how to design, manage, and evaluate board committees so they support strong governance and meaningful oversight.

The Savvy Director blog usually focuses on the director role as it relates to the board as a whole. But in the past few weeks, I’ve found myself spending far more time on my role as a committee member. And that’s not unusual.

With committee work on my mind, it seems like a good time...

This blog explores what truly defines a director’s legacy - the impact they have on people and boardroom culture. It highlights how emotional intelligence, integrity, and everyday interactions shape lasting influence.

As board directors, we often measure our impact by the weight of our responsibilities, the complexity of the decisions we make, or the prestige of the organizations we serve. But when our board term comes to an end, and our memory of all the meetings fades, what truly remains?...

Curiosity is a powerful trait for directors. This blog explores how asking better questions, challenging assumptions, and being open to new ideas leads to more robust decision-making.

I often close my email messages with the words ‘Stay Curious.’

For me, it’s more than just a closing line like ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Yours truly.’ I mean it as a reminder to the reader – and to myself for that matter – to intentionally focus on always bringing a lively state of curiosity to the board table.

I firmly...

When everyone agrees, that’s often the moment to question the decision. This article explores how the Tenth Person Rule helps boards surface hidden risks, challenge assumptions, and strengthen decision quality.

One of the fundamental assumptions about the value of a board of directors is that group decisions produce better outcomes than those made by individuals. The idea is that diverse perspectives and robust debate improve the decision-making process. That’s often — but not always — true.

This blog explains how evaluating meetings can significantly improve overall board effectiveness. It outlines practical methods and key areas of focus to help refine agendas, discussions, and decision-making.

This is the last in a series of four Savvy Director articles dealing with various aspects of board and director evaluation. The first two articles in the series, “From Compliance to Improvement” and “From Evaluation to Action,” explored the board evaluation process, and the third, “Evalu...

Boards often face a choice between experienced experts and engaged learners. This article demonstrates how a growth mindset, active participation, and curiosity drive stronger board performance than skill alone.

Would you rather have a Nobel laureate who won’t engage, or a curious newcomer who asks the right questions?

This isn’t just hypothetical — it’s a real dilemma many boards face. As governance challenges grow more complex and stakeholder expectations rise, the composition of the board...

This blog explores what 'fit' really means in the boardroom. It explains how boards must balance cultural alignment with the need for diverse perspectives and constructive challenge.

Recently, I worked with a board of directors to prepare a list of potential interview questions for prospective board members. The questions were carefully selected to try to uncover candidates’ ‘Three C’s’ – competence, character, and chemistry.

The first two C’s are fairly obvious. Competence questions focus o...