The Better Boards Podcast Series

• Going beyond the routine change | Lan O'Connor, NED & Strategic Advisor

  Send us a textWhen organisations face a need for transformation, Boards must become catalysts for change. This requires specific behaviours so that Boards can successfully go beyond oversight to provide strategic leadership when it is needed most.In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner, is joined by Lan O’Connor, a global transformation leader with deep experience in enterprise change. Lan helped lead Capgemini from a European to an international footprint. Today, she serves on a number of high-profile Boards. “Change is part of life, part of business life. But transformation, thinking about transformation with a capital T, it's not a change.”For Lan, transformation goes beyond routine change. It is a fundamental rewiring of a company’s centre of gravity while retaining the cultural core. It requires four things:  agreement that the current state is not viable, an articulated future state, a watertight business case, and a scale so immense that the transformation is the singular agenda for the executive team and Board for the duration of the transformation.“For a board, often a transformation with a capital T is perceived as a risk with a capital R.”The role of the Board when it comes to a proposed transformation is one of active strategic engagement. To Lan, in the first Board meeting about a transformation, the role of the Board is to vet the necessity of acting. The second step is to approve the business case. The third step is to scrutinise the approach and execution plans, as Lan believes the execution plan is where failure often hides, and Boards can make a significant difference. “It's the Board's role to make sure that it has a good beginning, a powerful middle, and that the end point allows the company to breathe at the new level.”Lan sees the Boards as the Executive Producers of a blockbuster movie. Boards must thus address rational, political, and emotional elements in play. The rational element is the business case. The political element ensures the Board and management team can act, make tough decisions, and escalate issues. Emotional elements reflect the level of buy-in needed for the transformation.“One critical element to have at a board level is an ally versed in the psychology of transformation.”Many Board members have experience with transformations, but not necessarily as the leader accountable for the change. They need supporting perspectives. A transformation guide can provide support in tough moments, fight process fatigue, and give insights into the pace of change. “I always say to Board members or even Executive Board members … to adopt a kind of an interview mindset.”Lan believes that Board members benefit when they can explain what is happening and why in terms that an outsider could understand. This minimises jargon and boosts transparency. The top three (plus bonus) takeaways from our conversation for effective boards are:1.      Understand the rational, political, and emotional elements.2.     Transformation is not a one-and-done exercise. Be attentive to the experience of the beginning, middle, and end.3.     Mark the official beginning and end of the transformation.4.    Seek out external perspectives to support the transformation experienIf you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

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• From Gatekeeper to Guide: How Governance Professionals Are Shaping the Boardrooms of Tomorrow | Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO Beyond Governance

  Send us a textGovernance professionals are no longer the quiet scribes in the corner. Today, they are critical voices at the heart of boardroom decision-making. In this episode, Dr Sabine Dembkowski speaks with Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance and author of The Secret Diary of a Company Secretary, to explore how the role has evolved and why it remains misunderstood.Through candid reflections and practical examples, Erika unpacks the challenges governance professionals face – from ethical tensions to boardroom politics – and shows how the role is changing as boards come under growing scrutiny.“We’ve moved from record-keeping to future-shaping.”In the past decade, governance professionals have shifted from the edges to the centre of organisations. They now help anticipate regulatory change, manage stakeholder expectations, and act as the ethical compass of the business. Erika emphasises this shift is less about technical skill and more about soft skills—the ability to demonstrate value, build trust, and step into an advisory role.Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is central. Working in grey areas requires integrity, influence, and buy-in across the organisation. EQ allows governance leaders to express ethical standards and help boards make sound decisions under pressure.“Organisations that do governance well avoid scandals and disasters.”Yet, Erika believes the profession is still underutilised. Many boards lack dedicated governance leaders, missing opportunities to prevent crises rooted in governance failures. She sees a major opportunity for boards to embrace governance professionals as strategic advisors rather than administrators.Technology is accelerating this shift. AI can now handle much of the administrative load—board packs, decision logs, registrars—freeing governance professionals to focus on strategy: ethics, risk foresight, regulatory impacts, and shareholder alignment.“A great governance advisor flexes as needed while keeping an ethical compass – their North Star.”Strong governance is about clarity of decisions, anticipating downstream impacts, and communicating choices transparently to stakeholders. Erika calls this “governance with grit”: standing up to powerful leaders, holding firm to values, and ensuring boards don’t sacrifice trust for expediency.“The biggest myth about Company Secretaries is that they just take minutes.”In reality, governance professionals leave fingerprints on major board decisions—though often invisibly. Erika’s book highlights hidden stories from eight Company Secretaries at high-profile firms, showing how their decisions impact thousands of stakeholders worldwide.With technology creating more space for strategic work, Erika believes it’s a fascinating time for new professionals to enter governance. Success requires comfort with uncertainty, listening skills, and a strategic, advisory mindset. Governance is not about ticking boxes—it’s about helping steer the organisation with courage, clarity, and trust.Top takeaways:In just a decade, governance professionals have become trusted strategic partners, helping boards navigate uncertainty with clarity and courage.Good governance isn’t about compliance—it gives boards confidence to act decisively and ethically, turning governance into a competitive advantage.Boards should treat governance as the steering wheel, not the brakes, to navigate complexity with vision and integrityIf you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

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• Steering the Shift: Board Leadership in Times of Transformation | Lan O'Connor, NED & Strategic Advisor

  Send us a textWhen organisations face a need for transformation, Boards must become catalysts for change. This requires specific behaviours so that Boards can successfully go beyond oversight to provide strategic leadership when it is needed most.In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner, is joined by Lan O’Connor, a global transformation leader. Lan helped lead Capgemini from a European to a global footprint. Her board experience spans Trinity Business School, Landmark Transformation, and Commercial Policy at the UK Cabinet Office during COVID-19. “Change is part of life, part of business life. But transformation, thinking about transformation with a capital T, it's not a change.”For Lan, transformation goes beyond routine change. It is a fundamental rewiring of a company’s centre of gravity. It requires four things:  agreement that the current state is not viable, an articulated future state, a watertight business case, and a scale so immense that the transformation is the singular agenda for the executive team and Board for the duration of the transformation.“For a board, often a transformation with a capital T is perceived as a risk with a capital R.”The role of the Board when it comes to a proposed transformation is not passive oversight. It’s active strategic engagement. To Lan, in the first Board meeting about a transformation, the role of the Board is to vet the necessity of acting. The second step is to approve the business case. The third step is to scrutinise the approach and execution plans, as Lan believes the execution plan is where failure often hides, and Boards can make a significant difference. “It's the Board's role to make sure that it has a good beginning, a powerful middle, and that the end point allows the company to breathe at the new level.”Lan sees the Boards as the Executive Producers of a blockbuster movie. Boards must thus address rational, political, and emotional elements in play. The rational element is the business case. The political element ensures the Board and management team can act, make tough decisions, and escalate issues. Emotional elements reflect the level of buy-in needed for the transformation.“One critical element to have at a board level is an ally versed in the psychology of transformation.”Many Board members have experience with change, but not necessarily as the leader accountable for a transformation. They need supporting perspectives. A transformation guide can provide support in challenging moments, fight process fatigue, and give insights into the pace of change. “I always say to Board members or even Executive Board members … to adopt a kind of an interview mindset.”Lan believes that Board members benefit when they can explain what is happening and why in terms that an outsider could understand. This minimises jargon and boosts transparency. It also helps manage Executive Team perceptions and keeps a forward focus. The top three takeaways from our conversation for effective Boards are:1.      Understand the rational, political, and emotional elements.2.     Transformation is not a one-and-done transaction. Be attentive to the experience of the beginning, middle, and end and seek out external support from subject matter experts.3.     Mark the official beginning aIf you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

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• The Role of the Board in Owner-led Organisations | Tina Mavraki, NED & Strategic Advisor

  Send us a textOwner-led organisations are the backbone of economies worldwide. Yet when the primary stakeholder is in the room, Boards must navigate a unique set of dynamics to be effective with governance, strategy issues, and advising.In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, is joined by Tina Mavraki, who brings 27 years of board finance and natural resources experience to the conversation. A Chartered Portfolio Director, Tina held senior roles at Morgan Stanley, Citi, and Noble Group, where she scaled up multi-billion-dollar businesses. Her board portfolio spans FTSE100 candidate Metlen Energy & Metals S.A. and First Bauxite. “Invariably, owners invite a Board into their structure because they're looking to make a transformation.”In Tina’s experience, the biggest reason owner-led companies establish a Board is for help with a significant change or transformation. They anticipate this development and aim to expand the pool of expertise and guidance available to them.“What owners get out of this is perspective.”Owners have a vision, but a Board provides perspective. This offsets an owner’s personal limitations and helps expand a vision into a coherent and workable plan. Boards also provide the emotional, mental, and tactical support for major transformations.“Boundaries are the most beautiful tension you can get.”For Tina, the way the Board and the owner define, expand, and refine boundaries is a significant experience. Figuring out lines and limits, understanding how those need to evolve to fulfil future ambitions, and creating workable succession, continuation, and growth plans are all places where Board members can have a measurable impact It begins by building trust. This is especially important in owner-led firms. In most cases, the owner will know vastly more about the organisation’s operational details. So, Tina recommends that Board members make extra effort to understand the organisation and its structure, how it generates profits, and all its key players. “You need to understand very intimately the founders themselves. What are the key attributes that have brought this person here?”In owner-led organisations, the Board and the owner have a more personal relationship. To make effective interventions, provide mentoring, or offer quality advice. Tina believes that Directors must first gain a deep understanding of the owner, including their strengths and areas for growth. Then, for best results, coordinate with the Board as a whole on sensitive conversations or strategic interventions.“I like Advisory Boards very much… they are a beautiful forum.”For owner-led companies where a full, formal Board is not a fit, Tina likes Advisory Boards. To her, they can bring in guest experts to dive into issues. This rotation of minds also brings access to senior-level experts who may not have the time for a Board role, but who are willing to come and share their knowledge. The three top takeaways from this conversation for effective boards are:1.      Make time to understand the operating environment, the priorities, the players, and when and how to intervene. 2.     Lean into the Board process. 3.     Board impact is visible, critical, and direct, with immediate feedback.If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

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• Overcoming misconceptions and lies in the boardroom | Professor Alex Edmonds, London Business School

  Send us a textWhen pressures mount, Boards often default to easy narratives. Yet, today more than ever, it is important for Boards to pursue the uncomfortable truths. Critical thinking, discernment, and strategic dissent are key advantages Boards want to cultivate and celebrate.In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, connects with Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance at London Business School. Alex holds a PhD from MIT and was previously a tenured professor at Wharton and an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. An in-demand speaker, Alex also serves as a Non-Executive Director of various high-profile organisations and a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Academy of Social Sciences. “Rather than making broad claims … what I try to do is be more granular and look at the specific … dimensions that pay off.”Alex sees Boards falling into common traps by failing to appreciate and acknowledge the nuances. Is sustainability universally and unequivocally the right path forward in all situations and at all times? Stated in this way, it is clear that the answer is no, yet boardrooms around the world hesitate to raise even slight amounts of dissent or debate.It is the same with other situations Boards face. A lack of consideration for specificity, nuance, and the latest peer-reviewed research sets Boards up to be victims of trendy thinking, unprofitable generalities, and unproductive solutions.“Think critically. If there is a study, think about “Are there alternative explanations for that result?”Alex believes boards can avoid intellectual traps by engaging in critical thinking and intentional questioning. Look for alternative explanations to prevent being misled by industry headwinds or tailwinds, to avoid confusing rare talent with repeatable success, and to guard against internal biases. Imagine the opposite of the result presented in any given study – would the reaction be the same? Even this simple challenge can be enough to reawaken discernment and activate critical thinking pathways. It helps separate signal from noise.“Actively seek dissent, reward it, and be wary of the fact that you as Chair … might unintentionally reduce dissenting opinions.”Chairs play a special role in fostering debate and discernment. Alex advises Chairs to refrain from giving their opinion first, create space for other views and avoid anchoring topics on “approved” outlooks. Further, when dissent or objections are overruled, reinforce that there was value in the conversation even if the decision went in a different direction. “Every company says we value a diversity of opinion, but when the rubber hits the road, how many of them act in that way?”Alex sees some companies treat dissent like a luxury reserved for good times. Yet, tough times are when honest debate and differing viewpoints matter most. He acknowledges this is not easy. Simple to say, but not easy to do. Still, defaulting to the status quo is the ultimate risk. You want to be different from your competition.The three top takeaways from our conversation for more effective boards are:1.      Academic research matters. 2.     Critical thinking matters. Question the things you want to be true. 3.     Encourage dissent within others.If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

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