How to help the board buy into your vision - the CEO event series

How can you get the “yes” that you want from the board? This was the topic of conversation for our panellists Esmond Kensington - Head of Strategy and Chief of Staff, HSBC UK, Indika Ramesh, Director - Specialist Delivery at Board Intelligence and Graham Donoghue - CEO, Sykes Cottages.

Together, our panellists explored…

• Why companies make bad decisions, and what they can do differently
• The role of the board in making decisions, particularly in the wake of a pandemic
• What you can do to help the board support your proposals and buy into your vision
• Why the decision papers that you sponsor – will either set you up for success or failure, depending on your approach

“One of the things that frustrate boards the most, is when decision papers aren’t upfront about the credible alternatives to the preferred option. How can they make an informed choice if the information isn’t balanced and transparent?”

- Esmond Kensington, Head of Strategy and Chief of Staff, HSBC UK

“I’ve reviewed hundreds of board papers in my time, and there’s a subtle sentiment I look for in every single one – does this person believe in what they’re saying?”

- Indika Ramesh, Director, Specialist Delivery at Board Intelligence

“A lot of leaders fall short when they don’t have a framework for decision making, and when they don’t anchor this framework to their purpose and values as an organisation.”

- Graham Donoghue, CEO, Sykes Cottages