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The board. Often referred to as a single entity, a board of directors is, of course, a group of individuals who collectively set the course for organisational success.
The relationships between these personalities are a fascinating area of study and one that Joy and Helen examined in depth in their 2023 book published by Taylor & Francis.
Joy Harcup is an executive coach with international coaching firm Praesta LLP. A former dispute resolution lawyer, Joy has, for over twenty years, coached individuals, top executive teams and boards. She has also served as President of the UK Board of the International Coaching Federation.
With degrees in politics, philosophy and economics (Oxford University), and in psychology (The Open University), Helen Hopper trained in management consultancy with Accenture and in occupational psychology with SHL. In 2010 Helen co-founded the leadership consulting firm hCubed, where she is a partner.
How did your collaboration come about?
Helen: We met at an overseas gathering of leaders from a range of sectors. The theme was compassion in leadership and how to bring people together. When Joy told me about her idea for the book and invited me to collaborate with her, I bit her hand off!
Joy: As a director myself, I’ve seen how good the dynamic of a board can be when members gel, listen to each other and build on one another’s ideas. On the other hand, I’ve seen how conflict and the challenges of holding power together can sap a board’s energy. I wanted to explore the psychology behind that and couple it with practical tips.
How can in-house lawyers support the smooth-running of boards?
Joy: In our book we discuss three key aspects of managing board dynamics.
This is the ART acronym where A is for awareness; being conscious of our behaviour, mindful of our approach and willing to adapt either if necessary.
R is for relationships. How well do we know people? Do we know the whole person? Understanding people’s values, personalities and interests builds trust and reduces the risk of becoming judgemental. This pays dividends in a crisis because, as well as technical experts, senior people turn to colleagues they trust. Use curiosity and empathy to maximise relationships and build that trust.
The T is for tactics. As the GC, for example, you may advise on issues such as governance, succession planning and the size of the board.
Helen: Firstly, regard the board as a group of people with limited time to get into the depth of anything. Communicate with clarity and brevity and resist the temptation to gloss over problems.
Secondly, don’t limit yourself to your area of expertise. As an in-house lawyer, you have an organisation-wide vantage point, so be confident to speak about what you see across all business functions.
And thirdly, bring your legal skillset, which aligns well with ART, to bear. Dispute resolution, relationship building skills, critical thinking and independence of stance, for example, are all valuable in the boardroom.
What’s your advice to in-house lawyers looking to progress to a leadership role?
Joy: A board role, such as a non-executive directorship or school governor-type role outside your organisation is a great start. We’ve found that it gives people an understanding of what a senior role involves, insights into managing upwards and downwards and the confidence to take on new responsibilities.
Also, many leaders have told us that the advice they’d give to their younger selves would be to listen actively, be courageous and identify champions who’ll support you.
Helen: Seek exposure in your current organisation. If possible, get a mentor or sponsor and track how issues get onto the board’s radar. What are the politics of your organisation’s leadership group and how can you influence things? If you can work on projects behind the scenes, you’ll discover how things get done and gain visibility among senior management.
Bear in mind that when it comes to succession it’s not always technical expertise that stands out. Often, the people who express their ambition boldly leave the greatest impression on the organisation’s leaders.
Would you advise introverts and extroverts differently?
Helen: My advice to both is similar but I think it’s acted on differently because introverts have to make a greater conscious effort to put themselves in the limelight. But when they do, they invariably use it very well.
Joy: I suggest getting a buddy who’s the opposite of you. If you’re an extrovert, ask an introvert and vice-versa. Depending on your disposition, you may be slightly overdoing things or you may need to show a little more assertiveness.
What are your top relationship building tips?
Helen: Understand who you are and build relationships based on a natural affinity and shared values. Be curious about people as this will reveal mutual interests, which are the foundation of solid relationships. Take a genuine interest in the differences in how people see things, too. It’s a lot more effective – and less tiring – to take this approach than to focus on projecting yourself in the early stages of relationship building.
It’s also important to understand that most difficulties in relationships arise from personal insecurity. In high stakes situations we can use psychological defence strategies that originate in previous situations or even childhood. Recognising that possibility in ourselves can go a long way to getting an emotionally difficult situation onto a more constructive path.
Joy: Make relationship building a priority. It’s too easy to become overly task focused. Take opportunities to network and socialise with influential people and learn about them as individuals. Start with people who you naturally align with as this will build your confidence to approach others who can help you.
As you get more senior, relationships are more and more important. Unsuccessful leaders are the ones still stuck in task mode, those who haven’t moved on to relationship mode.
How have virtual meetings and hybrid working altered relationship dynamics?
Joy: Initially, it had a democratising effect as it gave everyone access to the top. In truth, though, many global brands have had hybrid working for some time. Relationship building is still possible this way but it requires intentionality. Meetings need a good chair who will ensure everyone has a voice and to ensure the natural personal check-ins and watercooler-type moments, so prevalent in the office, are available. I think the push to bring people back to the office is a good thing, especially for junior people who benefit from learning from role models.
Helen: I believe online meetings have a unique intimacy. Research into the psychology of this subject shows that we look at people’s expressions on screen more intensely than we do in a meeting room. It’s the human experiences at the edges of physical meetings that are missing. For example, you can pick up a vibe from being around an office or having a pre-meeting coffee with a colleague. You can’t when you log on at the appointed time for a video call.
Similarly, sometimes organisations hold meetings offsite or at a production facility to alter the backdrop. Again, online events can’t replicate this. For boards whose members work at separation from each other, it’s important to get together from time to time, otherwise all they’re getting at meetings is pre-packaged material and set-piece presentations.
Away from the office, how do you relax?
Joy: I’ve been a cold water swimmer for 30 years. My father was a GP and researched the health impact of cold water swimming along with hydrotherapy. I also own a single sheep, the last one of a flock of 12.
Helen: I love walking by the sea. I recently got back from the Great Western Greenway on the west coast of Ireland on the Atlantic. I also enjoy making things. I just learned to spin fleece into yarn.
