Stepping Into Your Power

Written By Mary Garden

Being an effective board director isn’t just about governance and oversight—it’s about thinking strategically, elevating others, and ensuring diverse perspectives are heard. Here are three essential skills to step into your power and strengthen your impact in the boardroom.

1️⃣ Perfecting the Swoop and Soar

Great directors know when to think at 30,000 feet and when to zoom in to 30 feet. Strategic oversight requires stepping back to see the big picture—market trends, long-term risks, and company vision. But effective governance also demands knowing when to swoop down and ask the right tactical questions about operations, execution, and risk mitigation. The key is agility:

  • When big decisions are on the table, soar high to assess long-term impact.

  • When financials, compliance, or execution challenges arise, swoop in to probe deeper.

  • Learn to recognize when the board is stuck in one mode and help shift the conversation accordingly.

2️⃣ Lifting Up Others

A strong board doesn’t just challenge leadership—it challenges itself to foster meaningful dialogue. Commit to a personal best practice:

  • How will you offer your perspective in ways that elevate the conversation?

  • Can you disagree without diminishing someone else’s contribution?

  • Will you make a habit of creating space for quieter voices at every meeting?

Leadership isn’t just about what you say; it’s about how you enable others to be heard. Be intentional about making space for diverse views and encouraging constructive debate.

3️⃣ Navigating Groupthink

Boards function best when directors bring independent thought and challenge assumptions. But groupthink—the tendency to seek consensus over critical analysis—is a real risk. Watch for these signs:

  • Quick agreement with little debate

  • The same voices always dominating the conversation

  • An unspoken reluctance to challenge leadership

When you sense groupthink, ask yourself: Is my response truly my own? What evidence supports or contradicts the prevailing view? A strong board director ensures their perspective is grounded in independent thought, not just the desire to align with the group.

Bottom line: Board leadership requires thinking at different levels, lifting others in conversation, and ensuring decisions aren’t driven by groupthink. Master these three things, and you’ll not only contribute more effectively—you’ll make the boardroom better for everyone.

What’s your strategy for avoiding groupthink?

Mary Garden
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