I saw this tweet yesterday:
“Great Board Directors behave like shock absorbers, not amplifiers”
wisdom from @roelofbotha
— Tom Hulme (@thulme) August 4, 2016
It really resonates with me.
Companies go through lots of “shocks” over the years. I have seen Boards react in different ways. Sometimes they freak out and make things worse. Other times they are the calming force and voice of reason.
It is that latter behavior that the Company needs in that moment. Everyone is already freaking out. Amplifying that, as Roelof calls it, is not in the least bit helpful. Their is plenty of time for post-mortem analysis and learning from the situation. That can wait.
Companies need support and help during times of crises. Boards are uniquely positioned to provide that. The ones who can actually do that are incredibly helpful.
