In this episode of the Board Dynamics podcast, Dorrit welcomes Phaderia, a consultant and speaker specialising in gender equality, diversity, and inclusion. They discuss the importance of cultural diversity within boards and the dynamics that influence effective governance. Phydria shares her unique background, including her experiences as a woman of colour on various boards, and emphasises the need for inclusive leadership and psychological safety in boardrooms.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Value of Diverse Boards: Diverse boards, encompassing various dimensions such as gender, age, and cultural background, lead to better decision-making and improved financial performance for the organisations they govern.

• Importance of Psychological Safety: Creating an environment where board members feel safe to express their ideas, ask questions, and admit uncertainties is crucial for fostering innovation and collaboration.

• Inclusive Leadership: Effective board leadership involves practising inclusivity, where the chairperson coordinates the diverse voices and perspectives of board members, ensuring everyone is heard and valued.

• Addressing Underlying Dynamics: Board culture often includes unwritten rules and dynamics that can hinder open communication. Recognising and addressing these issues is essential for improving board effectiveness.

• Continuous Learning and Reflection: Board members should engage in self-reflection regarding their biases and experiences, and actively work to build trust and relationships within the board to enhance collaboration and decision-making.

BEST MOMENTS

“It’s better to say the wrong thing instead of not saying anything at all.”

“If you don’t see color, you’re not seeing me.”

“A board is just like any other organization. If you’re going to change things, you have to apply the rules of change management.”

“Diversity is a fact. I tend to advocate that I’d love for humanity to reach the point where it’s a natural part of the way we operate.”

“It’s important to have an environment where you can feel unsafe in the sense that you actually dare to not know what is going on.”

HOST BIO

Dorrit Kromann uses her competent network to provide solutions to real problems in boards. Dorrit is experienced in organisational development, going from turnarounds in hospitals to the growth of IT start-ups. From the board experience, Dorrit has used the psychodynamic organisational psychology to onboard, understand and solve any board challenge, going from how to recruit new members to business challenges to conflicts of interest.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

Have you ever been stuck in a challenge in a board meeting? Have you ever felt unheard in a board meeting? Have you ever thought that the business and strategy go in the wrong direction? Have you ever had a suspicion that something was wrong in the company?

Board Dynamics podcast will take you through some cases showing these challenges, analyse the cases and tell you what to do in such situations.