Crossing the line: How should board members get involved outside the boardroom

David Levenson explores one of his Ten Steps to Become a High Performing Board: UNDERSTANDING – the purpose and role of non-executive directors.

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Imagine walking up to a front door and peering through the peephole into somebody else’s house.

How would you know what it looks like inside? How is it structured and which rooms lead off the hallway?  Is the décor modern, pristine or a bit shabby? Does it have carpet or flooring? Is the kitchen full of the latest mod-cons?  Most important, how does it work as a home and who are the kind of people who live there?

We are curious by nature – think about how many reality TV shows are based around people’s homes. To satisfy our curiosity we could try peering through the peephole or letter box, but even if it opens just wide enough to reveal something, all we can get is a partial glimpse of what the owner will allow us to see.

Being a non-executive director on a board is like squinting through the peephole to someone else’s house.

Crossing the line: How should board members get involved outside the boardroom