ONE WAY OF VISUALIZING the role of the board of directors is to see it as the point of convergence of two pyramids (see Figure 1). One pyramid, the executive system of the day-to-day operations of the organization, faces upwards towards the board. From its broad base the experiences, information and ultimately the integrity of all the organization’s learning are focused on the board. The other, an inverted pyramid representing the outside world and all the uncertainties, trends and disruptions coming from it, is also focused on the board.
