The Role of the Chair
Drive value through focused and collaborative board work
Chairing practice has evolved in the face of the transformation imperative prompted by geopolitical and macroeconomic instability, societal tensions, and increasingly complex stakeholder dynamics.
IMD’s Role of the Chair program will give you a deep understanding of how impactful board chairs fulfill their role and responsibilities, and the practices and behaviors they adopt when holding the board to its highest standard as it serves its governance mission.
You will also explore the crucial role of committee chairs in leading high-quality discussions at the committee level, anticipating blind spots, and effectively interfacing for decision-making at the board level.
A strong relationship between the Chair and CEO is essential to successful corporate leadership. You will learn the indicators of a healthy relationship, as well as the warning signs of possible dysfunctions and how to address them.
Leading active board and committee chairs from various organizations will share their experiences of what it takes to be an effective chair in different contexts and situations, including crises. You will leave the program with a firm grasp of how chairs ensure the efficient operation of the board and its committees, in conformity with the highest standards of corporate governance.
Creating Mission & Purpose
- Gain clarity on the roles and responsibilities of board chairs and committee chairs.
- Understand how to foster productive discussion at board and committee level.
- Learn steps for successfully onboarding new board members.
- Lead effective stakeholder engagement, including discussions with shareholders.
- Explore the role of board committees.
- Ensure that the company’s purpose is well defined and articulated, and translated into the strategic direction.
Key topics:
- Promoting engagement, trust, and mutual respect within the board to foster a productive board culture
- Driving the clarity of board conclusions
- Balancing the need for focused discussions with the need to ensure that attention is given to complex or contentious issues
Building organizational resilience
- Deep dive into the CEO-Chair relationship to balance support and challenge effectively.
- Understand the importance of diversity and inclusion, and ensure that they are well leveraged in the boardroom.
- Prepare the board to be resilient to and navigate crises, in line with the organization’s purpose and values.
- Communicate effectively with shareholders, host governments, and other relevant stakeholders, and make sure that the views of these groups are understood by the board.
- Monitor board performance and effectiveness through evaluations.
Key topics:
- Fostering a productive Chair-CEO relationship, to support and serve as a sounding board
- Managing the CEO performance evaluation and succession process
- Monitoring and actively leveraging the board’s composition and diversity, and planning for succession to ensure the board continues to evolve with organizational needs
Length: 2 days on campus
The main responsibility of a board is to ensure the company’s ongoing success. This means that members should be fully aligned with the company’s strategic direction, purpose, and values. Additionally, the diverse experiences, backgrounds, and complementary skills of its members should enrich the board’s discussions. The board should ask all the relevant pertinent questions.
IMD Board Director Diploma
