The Art and Psychology of Board Relationships

The relationships within boards can make or break an organisation, but well-functioning relationships take skill and effort to maintain. This book looks at the psychology behind individual and group behaviour and offers tactics and power tools to help make a success of your board career. The book shares advice and practical tips from 40 experienced board members from the worlds of corporates, the public sector and charities on how to spot and manage complex dynamics. And each chapter ends with techniques for unlocking tricky board relationships that you can put into practice immediately. The authors examine case studies and explore topics such as psychodynamics, cognitive behavioural psychology and neuroscience for insights into how boards react under pressure. They then demonstrate how to practise the ART of managing board relationships by increasing Awareness, Relating constructively to others, and choosing Tactics to ease tensions and foster collaboration. The Art and Psychology of Board Relationships: The Secret Life of Boards reveals why board relationships lie at the heart of organisational success - and how you can use them to gain competitive edge. It is essential reading for current and aspiring board members, coaches, facilitators and anyone with an interest in boardroom dynamics.

Joy Harcup is an executive coach with 20 years' experience working with clients in the FTSE 100, public and not-for-profit sectors. A former lawyer specialising in dispute resolution, she has an MBA from Bath University. Joy was President of the UK Board of the International Coaching Federation, the largest global professional body for coaches. Helen Hopper trained in management consultancy with Accenture, and in occupational psychology with SHL, before co-founding leadership consulting firm h3 in 2010, where she is a Partner. She has degrees in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (Oxford University), and in Psychology (The Open University). She is an active supporter of mental health charities, most recently as COO of The Listening Place, and Trustee at The Mix.

Introduction; Part One: Psychodynamics in the Boardroom: Hidden Motives and Drivers; 1. Balancing the Executive/Non-Executive Seesaws; 2. Negotiating the Standoff; 3. Banishing Bullying; Part Two: Cognitive Behavioural Psychology: Mindset; 4. Activating the Passive Rubber Stamp Board; 5. Descending the Ivory Tower; Part Three: Neuroscience: Brain and Body; 6. Harnessing Diversity; 7. Facing Up to a Doomsday Scenario; 8. Board Relationships in the Future; Epilogue: A Last Word on your Board Relationships