What is often not mentioned is the parallel process of board inclusion. The sadly too common induction of ‘turn up and shut up, you’ll pick it up as you go along – and don’t rock the boat as there are some powerful people around this table’ is very strong. It takes a tough-minded new director to have enough self-confidence and independence of mind to immediately keep asking discerning questions until he or she gets satisfactory answers. So most directors self-censor, keep quiet and do not offer contrary information even when they know it is right.
