Board culture - Its role in achieving sustainable success

It is a wide-ranging concept which defies precise definition but which, nonetheless, has a tremendous impact on outcomes in the boardroom and through the effect of the ‘tone from the top’on those throughout the business.It covers the set of values, beliefs, thinking and norms for behaviour adopted by a board – essentially, ‘the way we do things around here’. It is, in some ways, an elusive concept impacted by a wide range of factors interacting with each other and is often implied rather than explicitly expressed.

Board culture is a wide-ranging concept which defies precise definition but which, nonetheless, has a tremendous impact on outcomes in the boardroom and through the effect of the ‘tone from the top’on those throughout the business.It covers the set of values, beliefs, thinking and norms for behaviour adopted by a board – essentially, ‘the way we do things around here’. It is, in some ways, an elusive concept impacted by a wide range of factors interacting with each other and is often implied rather than explicitly expressed.

In the publication we have identified four broad types of board. The “holy grail” is the Engaged Board where there’s a healthy board culture with highs level of both challenge and support in the boardroom.

Sadly, not all boards are engaged.

Yet board culture plays a key role in determining the effectiveness of the board in leading and directing the business and in its ability to achieve its full potential.