It’s one thing to be smart and curious. But to truly differentiate yourself as a leader requires processing time to look for patterns, lessons, and insights, says Adam Bryant.

In this episode, Bryant and Susan Paley discuss the difficulties of and the motivations behind modern leadership, including the importance of listening, the paradoxes of leadership, and how the best leadership wisdom is also life wisdom.

Host: Susan Paley, NACD advisor

Guest: Adam Bryant, senior managing director and partner with the ExCo Group, former Corner Office columnist for the New York Times, author of The Leap to Leader, and coauthor of The CEO Test

NACD Resources:

• Twenty-First–Century Board Oversight of Talent and Succession
• Summer Reading: The Evolving Nature of Leadership

Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

Mentorship should be a two-way street, according to board member Barbara Adachi, NACD.DC.

Adachi, Lori N. Mackenzie, and Raquel Suarez discuss the role of mentorship in the boardroom, including what defines an effective mentor-mentee relationship, whether and how to formalize mentorship programs, and how mentees, mentors, and the board can benefit from the engagement.

Host: Raquel Suarez, NACD senior manager of diversity, equity, and inclusion

Guests: Barbara Adachi, board member at Atlas Technology Solutions, Old Republic International Corp., and VSP Vision; Lori Mackenzie, cofounder of the VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab at Stanford University and advisor to August Public

NACD Resources:

• Board Mentorship Program Guidelines Sample
• NACD Blue Ribbon Commission Report, Culture as the Foundation: Building a High-Performance Board

Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

There’s one major rule for executives to lay a strong foundation with the board: no surprises, says board and C-suite member Peggy Foran.

Foran and NACD advisor Susan Paley discuss the who, what, when, where, why, and how of executive engagement with the board, including what boards expect from executives, how executives can effectively prepare for board and committee meetings, and the key elements that foster a strong board-management relationship.

Host: Susan Paley, NACD advisor

Guests: Peggy Foran, chief governance officer, senior vice president, and corporate secretary of Prudential Financial and a board member at Orion Group Holdings

NACD Resources:

• How Boards and CEOs Can Establish a Strong Relationship
• 10 Steps to a Better Board Partnership

Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

Directors should focus on purpose, not partisanship, says Bruce Haynes.

Haynes, who works in crisis communications and reputation management, and board member Anne Alonzo chat with NACD advisor Susan Paley about strategies for boards to prevent controversial issues from escalating into crises and how they can facilitate effective conversations on difficult topics, especially in the context of the upcoming US election.

Host: Susan Paley, NACD advisor

Guests: Anne Alonzo, board member at PotlatchDeltic Corp. and Until Corp.; Bruce Haynes, senior vice president of corporate and external affairs at Charles River Laboratories

NACD Resources:

·      Election Insights

·      Boardroom Diplomacy: Mastering the Art of Difficult Conversations

Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

Why should global governance trends matter to US boards? Board member Mary McDowell and Russell Reynolds’s Rich Fields join NACD’s Friso van der Oord to discuss the themes dominating boardrooms around the world and how US governance compares to governance in other countries, with a close look at the United Kingdom.

Host: Friso van der Oord, NACD senior vice president of content

Guests: Mary McDowell, nonexecutive director at Arrow Electronics and Autodesk and senior independent director at Informa; Rich Fields, head of the Russell Reynolds Board Effectiveness Practice and a member of the firm’s Board and CEO Advisory Partners 

NACD Resources:

• Global Risks Are Intensifying: Here Is What Boards Should Know
• Digital Transformation: How to Unlock Innovation and Growth With Emerging Technologies—A GNDI Quick Guide

Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

Despite social and legal tensions around DE&I initiatives, the board continues to have an important role to play to not only advance nondiscrimination, but also proactively engage in ensuring a diverse and inclusive workforce. Cari Dominguez, chair of the NACD Center for Inclusive Governance, and Natalie Chan, a partner at Sidley Austin, join Tracy Gee, NACD chief people officer, to discuss these tensions, the DE&I business imperative, and the role of corporate directors in supporting DE&I in the boardroom and beyond.

Host: Tracy Gee, NACD chief people officer

Guests: Cari M. Dominguez, chair of the NACD Center for Inclusive Governance, former NACD board member, former chair of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, former assistant secretary with the US Department of Labor, and experienced board member; Natalie C. Chan, partner at Sidley Austin focused on labor and employment issues

NACD resources:

• Corporate Directorships: The Next Goal for Qualified Executives With Disabilities
• Harnessing the Power of DE&I: A Boardroom Discussion Guide

Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

You’re contacted about a board opportunity. What happens next?

Mary Beth Vitale, a director on multiple boards, and Chuck Gray, coleader of Egon Zehnder’s US CEO and Board Practice, join NACD’s Susan Paley to chat about what candidates can expect from the recruitment process, how to prepare for board interviews, and what role search firms play.

Host: Susan Paley

Guests: Mary Beth Vitale, board member at Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) and Luna Innovations, and an NACD faculty member; Chuck Gray, coleader of Egon Zehnder’s US CEO and Board Practice

NACD resources:

• How to Prepare and Interview for a Private Company Board Seat
• Director FAQ: Finding Your Next Board Seat

Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

You’re contacted about a board opportunity. What happens next?

Mary Beth Vitale, a director on multiple boards, and Chuck Gray, coleader of Egon Zehnder’s US CEO and Board Practice, join NACD’s Susan Paley to chat about what candidates can expect from the recruitment process, how to prepare for board interviews, and what role search firms play.

Host: Susan Paley

Guests: Mary Beth Vitale, board member at Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) and Luna Innovations, and an NACD faculty member; Chuck Gray, coleader of Egon Zehnder’s US CEO and Board Practice

NACD resources:

• How to Prepare and Interview for a Private Company Board Seat
• Director FAQ: Finding Your Next Board Seat

Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

It’s all about self-discovery.

Lisa Shalett, cofounder of Extraordinary Women on Boards, joins Susan Paley, NACD vice president of the chapter network, to discuss how anyone can start on their path to board service through networking, continuous learning, and self-investigation.

Host: Susan Paley, NACD vice president of the chapter network

Guest: Lisa M. Shalett, cofounder of Extraordinary Women on Boards, a board member at MPower Partners and PennyMac Financial Services, and a former partner at Goldman Sachs

NACD resources:

• Demystifying the Path to Board Service
• Get Out the Map: The Journey to Your First Board Seat

Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.

Listen and learn before you speak or lead—that’s Oscar Munoz’s motto.

Oscar Munoz, former chair and CEO of United Airlines, joins Susan Paley, NACD vice president of the chapter network, to talk about his journey to the C-suite and the boardroom, as well as his early influences and the importance of empathy and authenticity.

Host: Susan Paley, NACD vice president of the chapter network

Guest: Oscar Munoz, former chair and CEO of United Airlines; board member at Archer Aviation, CBRE Group, Salesforce, and TelevisaUnivision; a trustee of The Brookings Institution, Fidelity’s Equity and High-Income Funds, and University of Southern California; and author of the best-selling book, Turnaround Time: Uniting an Airline and Its Employees in the Friendly Skies

NACD resources:

·      Culture as the Foundation: Building a High-Performance Board

·      Workforces: A “Wicked Problem” Where Boards Can Help

Visit nacdonline.org for further research and information.