MINDFULNESS: A New Way Forward for Board Directors

Leading in the Age of Distraction

By Dr. Cindy Gordon

Today, we are experiencing a tidal wave of rapid changes sweeping every industry. Most boards of directors are ill prepared to confront the current and future challenges posed by new technological innovations, such as AI, machine learning, cyber security, robots, digital convergence, IoT, robo-advisors, complex omni-channels, and more.

The early 21st century has taught us that we cannot always predict the future. How can an organization develop a competent, future-focused board of directors that is resilient, innovative, technically savvy, and agile enough to rapidly respond to sudden changes and embrace new opportunities?

One path forward is equipping board directors to be more resilient and reflective, as well as to suspend judgment, to not jump to hasty decisions without sufficient dialogue, and to take into account legal, regulatory, and financial risks. In addition, being mindful of the implications of government regulations, community relations, and human resources requires thoughtful dialogue to ensure that ethical- and values-based leadership are always positioned as key anchors for operating a board. The successful boards of today and tomorrow have one powerful resource for guiding their dialogue: data.