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How does the idea of culture relate to the context of the culture of a board of directors?  

Board culture refers to the set of written or unwritten rules that guide and influence the board’s decisions, functions and relationships. While a healthy board culture fosters collegiality, mutual respect, and ingenuity in problem solving, culture can evolve independently over time and potentially undermine the board's effectiveness.  

Getting governance right calls for boards to hit their own “refresh” button as they adapt to changing expectations and circumstances. In recent studies (adapted from Harvard Business Review), five elements — “disrupters” — tend to hinder the progression of boards toward their overall effectiveness and high performance: 

1. Lack of clarity on the roles of individual directors and the board as a whole. Role ambiguity slows decision-making and causes unnecessary director conflicts.
2. Poor process management hinders effective board preparation, meeting management, and communications. This often results in indecisiveness and a lack of urgency regarding critical challenges facing the organization. 
3. Lack of alignment and agreement on strategy may cause disinterest among board members, who then simply default to tackling regulatory and compliance issues. Poor strategic alignment also hampers a board’s ability to prioritize issues and set their agendas.  
4. Poor team dynamics fracture boards and lead to power struggles. Like any effective working group, a board should be comprised of professional peers who respect and collaborate well with each other. 
5. Ineffective board composition and structure can significantly hinder an organization’s success. It’s important to consider diversity in experience, skills, and backgrounds in order to keep boards well-rounded. Balanced boards with diversity of thought tend to have better conversations, make smarter decisions, and employ a more holistic approach when handling issues. 

These five elements significantly influence the board's effectiveness and its ability to foster a positive board experience.  

Boards however can enhance overall performance by implementing several strategies to address “disrupters” such as: 

• clarifying board goals, expectations, committee structure, and performance criteria for directors and management  
• providing a thorough board orientation for new members to ensure smooth transitions 
• conducting a comprehensive board self-assessment focused on the “work of the board” 
• facilitating interactive board retreats or working sessions to revisit the organization's mission, strategy, priorities, outcome measures, and change initiatives 

By recognizing and addressing the common disruptors that impede effectiveness, boards can pave the way for positive change.  

Ultimately,  boards set the tone at the top regarding culture—not just in the way the board prioritizes and oversees the organization’s culture but also in the dynamics, functionality, and culture of the board itself.