ISCA Weekly Chair Post
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What's New?
December 19, 2019


Managing the Board's Parking Lot Conversations

So maybe we can begin by admitting that almost every Board has offline conversations outside of the Board room. We know it's not supposed to happen but inevitably it does - whether innocently or intentionally. We also know that 'back channel' board conversations gone unchecked, can be extremely damaging to the integrity of the Board by creating dysfunction, distrust, and compromising the Board's ability to conduct good decision making. So as Board Chair, how do you manage this?

The good news, according to a recent article in Harvard Business Review, is that some side conversations among Board members can be positive and productive if managed correctly and with transparency. Based on research conducted by Heidi Gardner of the Leadership Program at Harvard Law School and Randall Peterson of the Leadership Institute at London Business School, Gardner and Peterson outline the potential dangers of offline board conversations and provide guidelines for board chairs on how to proactively manage them. Although this article is a bit lengthy to read, it is informative and provides some concrete tips for Board Chairs on how to best manage those back channel conversations.




Register for Upcoming ISCA Webinar!

"The Board's Fiduciary Responsibilities for the Head's Compensation Package"
Presented by Hugh Mallon, President, Executive Compensation Concepts

January 21, 2020
1;00 - 2:00 pm ET



Weekly Chair Post written and compiled by
Bethany Di Napoli, ISCA Executive Director

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