Virtual Board Development Through a Crisis

Having experienced challenging times from both an Exec and Non-Exec seat, this last year has been particularly interesting. I’ve learnt a lot about resilience and agility, the value of compassion – for myself and others – and about keeping focused on what is truly important.

Specifically, I have been reflecting on my Board roles and the ingredients that have helped, or indeed hindered, our collective effectiveness.

1. Assume best intent

To be honest this is a mantra I came across some years ago and have always found it immensely useful, but it’s even more important in these challenging and virtual times. Some of your colleagues will think differently to you, some may have a different approach, some may even get on your nerves – but they haven’t come to a discussion to be purposefully unhelpful or annoying. Assume their intent is good and that they have the same well-meaning commitment as you do.

2. The absence of a clear strategy will leave you exposed

Perhaps not immediately but, operating in crisis and viewing a response plan as distinct from your strategy will take its toll on any organisation. Not just as without the strategic direction you are rudderless and lack the framework in which to make quality decisions, but it can lead to significant frustration within and between the Senior Management Team and Board. It allows mis-managed expectations to breed, as well as the blurring of roles and responsibilities. Even if your strategy has a relatively short shelf-life there needs to be something. Something that is clear, collectively understood and that can support agile decision making and appropriate test and learn.

3. Get to know each other

As of today, I am yet to meet a single one of my colleagues on one Board I serve – having gone through the whole recruitment and induction process entirely on Microsoft Teams. Carving out the time to better understand each other is vital in this virtual world; backgrounds, strengths, interests, the anecdotes that bring a person and their values to life. Knowing more about your colleagues is a critical element to building trust, which in turn is essential for building a strong and effective team. Go out of your way to create space for this and you will benefit from the value it brings to supporting more open and productive discussion.

4. Don’t underestimate what you’re missing out on from face-to-face interactions

Video calls are great and, as a working mum of two, I will always vehemently fly that flexible working flag… but you miss out on the often small, but significant, details in a wholly virtual world. The sidebar conversations pre- or post- meeting, the nuances of body language & across-the-table glances and the disarming environment of a pub or restaurant. And in weathering a crisis you will need to work harder to suss out any alternative agendas or strained relationships. Make sure you take the time to check in with colleagues and understand if there are things that need to be brought to the virtual table and addressed. Ensure to also keep an eye out for quieter colleagues, purposefully providing them the opportunity to contribute and allow all points of view to be explored.

5. Always look for the lessons learnt

There is always the opportunity to learn, to grow and develop, and a crisis can often provide the clearest of those. The skill of reflection is not one I have been naturally blessed with and so continue to purposefully develop. A crisis can cause panic, a sense of being up against the clock and, for some, reflecting can seem a luxury. But, even for a brief moment or ten, force yourself and your colleagues to pause and reflect. Not only will it help shape the here and now, there will be things you go on to do permanently differently as a result of your response to a crisis, some things you may stop doing altogether – but you need to own those changes and not sleepwalk into them. Capture the positives from this different way of working, for example; how much easier it has been to ensure attendance or invite new speakers given the advantages of virtual meetings.

And when all this is over, and our lives begin to return to normal, let’s not take the small things for granted – bring on the Christmas socials of 2021…