Boardroom Diversity: There is Work to Be Done

In all my years as a director, I have found that boards with the most gumption, versatility, and innovative force share one common attribute: diversity.

When we embrace diversity—of gender, race, culture, or perspective—we stretch our minds and transcend the limits of our own experience. These actions empower us to think, and to lead, “beyond borders.”

Diversity has become a global business imperative, and I am delighted by the work being done by my friends and esteemed colleagues at the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) to promote all types of diversity in the boardroom.

The 2015 Global Board Leaders’ Summit will open with NACD’s first-ever Diversity Symposium, which will take place on September 26 from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Discussion at the Symposium will focus on the following topics:

• Unconscious Bias — Less than 15 percent of American men are over 6-feet tall, yet almost 60 percent of CEOs are taller than 6 feet. Unconscious biases like the one implied by this pair of statistics can significantly influence how we think and make decisions. Leaving such biases at the door can create space for new talent and innovative ideas.

• Case Study: The Rooney Rule — The 2003 Rooney Rule requires NFL teams to interview minority candidates for head-coaching and other top-level positions, and over the past 12 years its implementation has dramatically increased diversity on NFL coaching and front-office staffs. How might this rule inspire new practices in the boardroom?
• Meet the 21st-Century Board — In order to compete globally, companies will need to recruit a new breed of director. Who are the directors that will form this boardroom vanguard? What skills do they possess? And where can they be found?
• The Diverse Board: Moving From Interest to Action — With findings in the Report of the NACD Blue Ribbon Commission on The Diverse Board as their starting point, seasoned directors and experts will discuss specific, actionable steps you can take to optimize the composition of your board.

The business world is not the same as it was 30, 10, or even 5 years ago. Today’s boardroom is a reflection of the changes that have occurred in the marketplace and in society at large. Much progress has been made in incorporating new perspectives and heterogeneous backgrounds into the sphere of corporate directorship, but we have much work yet to do.

Join me and NACD in going “beyond borders” and championing the ideals that will change the boardroom, our companies, and the global economy for the better.

Prepare to gain unexpected connections, insights, and inspiration.

2015 NACD Global Board Leaders’ Summit | Beyond Borders. Leadership Evolved.
September 26–29, Washington DC

For more information about the NACD Global Board Leaders’ Summit, visit www.NACDonline.org/Summit.