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Johanne Bouchard

"The Leadership Whisperer" : Fostering healthy individuals and healthy organizations.

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Board of Directors Alignment Session: A Case Study

One aspect of my work I thoroughly enjoy is planning and leading board alignment sessions with all types of organizations (non-profit, private, and public) with boards of any size. I recently planned and led a successful alignment session for an 11-member board, and while it’s fresh in my mind, I thought it would be beneficial to share some of the elements that made it successful and why this process is beneficial for any board.

The board in question has gone through a number of significant challenges in the last year and a half, including the integration of a couple of new board members and a new chair who had only been a board member for six months prior to being appointed chair. The chair had no history with the organization or the board prior. Over half of the directors had been on this board for more than four years, while several had joined in the past three years. The board had been divided on a number of issues, and it needed outside assistance to effectively align on key priorities.

The chair knew the board needed the support of a neutral outside party to move forward and effectively coalesced the board to support bringing someone in. While a couple of directors were skeptical, they unanimously agreed that the initiative was integral to achieve greater board effectiveness by the end of my one-on-one interaction with each.

Here are some indicators that a board will benefit from an alignment session:

  • When a board has refreshed and/or augmented its composition with one or more new members there is a need to proactively ensure that everyone is in alignment on critical issues, strategy, strategic priorities and/or challenges that aren’t being resolved and/or can’t be fully addressed during regularly scheduled board meetings
  • When there is a feeling of “us versus them” limiting the effectiveness of the board and/or the CEO/executive director
  • When there is a division between directors who are in support of the CEO/executive director and others who are not– some believing the leader is effective while others don’t
  • When the Chair is new to the board and selected directors resist leadership from an “outsider,” allowing their decisions to be biased in favor of past norms rather than considering current and future strategic trajectory
  • When the board has not adopted a clear set of decision-making processes, has not been consistent with its oversight role, and/or has not been engaged in ensuring that all committees are addressing their top priorities
  • When the board has a new chair who has not been elected through proper succession planning, elected in reaction to a change or crisis within the board or the organization
  • When the board is divided about strategy, strategic priorities, the leadership of the organization or about any event that had negative ramifications for the organization internally or externally in the past year
  • When the board needs an objective and trusted third party to get realigned because internal preconceived judgments and expectations are impeding a fresh perspective.

The situations in which a board might pursue having an alignment session are not limited to the circumstances listed above, and having an alignment session is not an indicator that a board is dysfunctional! Boards should strive to be healthy. The importance of good board dynamics and good governance can’t be underestimated and require vigilance.

The Success of a Board Alignment Session Depends on Several Specific Elements:

– The chair champions the initiative. Since the chair has the responsibility of leading the board, s/he should champion initiatives like alignment sessions, and the chair must have clear goals and expectations for these sessions. (Otherwise, I help or define these.) While other directors might recommend an alignment session, the chair has the responsibility of owning the path to alignment and healthier dynamics with or without one.

In my most recent session, I defined the expectations and the goals in conjunction with the chair. It was imperative for all directors to understand how the board was aligned and misaligned; to understand respective directors’ roles and responsibilities and the roles and responsibilities of the board and management. It was my responsibility to poll everyone to gain every director’s perspective about their top three strategic priorities and how the board could be more effective. We could not assume that all had a common understanding.

– The chair and the CEO concur on the selection of the third party, and a third party is hired. A board alignment session should not be planned and led by a director or an employee. While it is the chair’s responsibility to engage the third party, I have found that it is helpful to get the CEO/executive director involved in interviewing the external partner, such as myself, and to ensure that the CEO/executive director is wholly in support of the alignment session. This consideration results in more openness and trust throughout the process. It is important for the third party to be in a position to effectively poll every single director, including the CEO/executive director.

In the case of my recent board alignment session, I was introduced to the chair by a board director who knew me. I was interviewed by both the chair and the leader of the organization who then both agreed to engage me. They both felt very positive about the process that I was suggesting and the chemistry was good between all of us, which greatly helped with the eventual success of the board alignment initiative.

– Every board member, including the CEO/executive director, participates in a mandatory inquiry. It is essential that every board director participates in the inquiry to gain everyone’s views, good or bad. If there is one director who doesn’t participate, the board can’t reach true alignment.

In my recent session, I developed a customized inquiry to ensure that we would surface the key concerns and the positives about the organization, the board dynamics and future direction, and every board member was included. I ensured that we didn’t assume that all directors could articulate the vision, mission, and strategic priorities of the organization. Every single director was collaborative and open, assured that any information shared was held in confidentiality.

– All directors attend the board alignment session. While this should be mandatory, it is, at times, not realistic to have everyone physically present. In the event that some members cannot participate in the session, they need to be looped in quickly.

In the session in question, two directors had last-minute business and personal emergencies and were unable to attend. The chair took ownership of bringing them up to date soon after the session was held. All chairs should do so promptly and ensure that all directors will be in alignment with the findings and recommended action plan.

– The action plan is addressed by the board no later than the next scheduled board meeting, and this action plan is executed with a process. There is a lot of valuable information that gets shared through this type of session. It is important to address the utmost priorities with civility and clear processes.

This 11-member board was astounded by how much was captured and shared and how much will need thoughtful prioritizing and delegation within the board and management. The board committed to “get to work.”

The ultimate goal of a board alignment session is to inspire and enlist all directors to work together for the ultimate success of the organization they all serve. In every session I have led, participants consistently agree that they have gained clarity about more than they could have envisioned and they all wish they had held a session sooner.

In the session addressed here, most felt empowered by gaining clarity about what needed to be addressed and the eventual positive impact on the board and the organization. The board was aligned on the possibilities that lie ahead, and that was powerful for them and for me.

In my role I share the truth of “what is.” Everyone gains clarity and is afterward able to focus from the same context. With focus, the needed changes, and results are inevitable.

I typically recommend a very minimal allocation of four hours for a board alignment session. It can be held in the evening. If four hours in the gym left you fit for a year, wouldn’t you likely commit the time? Arguably, the stakes for the average board are high enough to warrant this small, rewarding investment!

Johanne Bouchard

Johanne Bouchard, a serial entrepreneur and former high-tech marketing executive, is a governance and leadership advisor to boards, CEOs, executives and entrepreneurs, as well as an expert in board composition and dynamics. An accomplished author and blogger, Johanne has published a number of eBooks, and her articles have been published in Ethical Boardroom and NACD's Directorship. She is an advocate for STEM, increased diversity in the boardroom and patients' rights.

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Client Success Stories

  • Board of Directors Alignment Session: A Case Study
  • Board and CEO Leadership Effectiveness Assessment
  • Board Leadership Effectiveness Assessment
  • Strategic Planning Session for the Board and the Executive Team (Case 1)
  • Strategic Planning Session for the Board and the Executive Team (Case 2)
  • M&A Board Integration Session and Strategic Planning Session
  • M&A Board Integration Session
  • Executive Leadership Coaching
  • Executive Boot Camp
  • Executive Leadership Effectiveness Assessment
  • Partial Client List

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The meeting was fantastic. It was an undisputable success. The interaction was superior and beyond what anyone could have thought was possible. Everyone embraced you and your skills in ways that I have never seen before. I learned a lot about the process and it has been very meaningful. It illuminated me into focused actions. It galvanized the entire executive team across the five business units. Really exciting…

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You did a very good job. I like the process, like the rigor, like the completeness and the sensitivity with which you presented tough issues. I like the individual profiles and how they lead to both learning for me as well as opportunity for team building.

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I recommended you for this task because I felt that the depth of inquiry and the thoroughness of your approach are important to bring the Board to a new level of quality and interaction. I found your work very complete and am glad that you brought to the surface a number of issues that have to be addressed to improve our effectiveness as a Board. Your observations and recommendations go to the heart of what makes a Board a team (and what gets in the way).

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Johanne has an innate ability to bring out the best in all whom she touches. She practices what she preaches – patience, courage, generosity, wisdom and humility. Her contributions have positively impacted our Company and working environment and will result in increased profitability and shareholder value.

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Johanne is truly exceptional at what she does. I've worked with many consultants over the years, and what sets her apart is the combination of her right- and left-brain skills. She knows how to listen, catch unspoken cues, instill trust and openness, while also being focused on the substance of the issues, the complexities of the situation and challenges, and the business issues that have to get solved. She is direct and candid while also unusually sensitive. By applying these skills, she helped us analyze what was going on in our business, shed light on the core management and governance issues, and facilitated our discussions among the decision makers about the next steps to take. I would work with her again in a heartbeat.

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I have seen Johanne's skilled handling of important executive interfaces and her ability to quickly get to the heart of the issues and lead to results. That certainly happened here. I found that even in cases where the participants thought they had good communication we reached new levels of connection and candor, all helping us be most efficient at a time when that is most important in our company.

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I thank Johanne for her clarity and quick ability to cut through the clutter. She made a huge difference. I have grown a lot. Johanne’s exceptional wisdom for defining and supporting the needs of clients were a real asset to us. Johanne is exceptionally gifted at understanding how to balance and focus for success. I highly recommend her to any company looking to grow.

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Thank you so very much for the day of focus for our team. We really needed it and I do not believe we could have done it without you. You are such a wonderful friend of ours. I personally left feeling inspired and clear. You are a beautiful person to facilitate those connections.

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Johanne Bouchard is a pioneer and a leader who brings to the process of executive coaching and strategic planning a focused, high-energy and highly- effective approach. In a short time and in a seemingly effortless manner, she leads an individual or a team to a crystal-clear understanding of their core values, their goals and a path to achieving them.

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Johanne has a remarkable ability to inspire others to share with perfect honesty, overcome their own barriers, and find greater clarity for their purpose. Her dedication to her work comes from a sincere passion for guiding others in their quest for successful leadership and life skills. Johanne's encouraging style supports rather than leads, promotes as opposed to advises.

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Johanne is an outstanding professional with exceptional coaching skills. She is insightful and a very effective communicator.

- Ken Coleman- Board Chairman, Saama Technologies and special advisor to Andreessen Horowitz Venture Capital firm

Johanne worked with our board at Accelrys to enhance our effectiveness. She provided tremendous value and insight in a very collegial manner.

- Jeff Rodek - Former Chair and CEO of Hyperion, Former President and COO Ingram Micro 

Johanne Bouchard is a unique consultant and advisor who brings clarity to high urgency situations in short order. She has served several of the companies I am involved with as a Board member in various assignments including Board 360, Executive Team assessment, leading and facilitating strategic planning sessions, and CEO coaching. In all these assignments she has displayed dedication, creativity, depth, and an unerring focus on reflecting the reality of the situation and presenting it as such to the client, with concrete suggestions for improvement and increased efficiency. I highly recommend Johanne.

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If you have an organizational leadership problem to solve (the bigger the better) and need a tireless, objective collaborator to assist, challenge and drive you (and she WILL drive you), work with Johanne. And if you welcome the friendship that will grow from that experience, you couldn't do better.

- Steve Snyder - Former EVP/GM CBS Interactive Games, Music and Sports

Johanne's work is, in a word, spectacular. She digs in on a project like no one I know, she is thorough, thoughtful, and does superb "inquiry" work early in a project. She brings a wealth of experience to her projects, including marketing expertise, consumer research, management and leadership insights, and insightful summaries of the issues. Her work is honest, clear, clean, and useful. She is a truth-finder and a truth-teller. Johanne is an intense, yet calm and measured expert - she knows where to look, what to ask, and how to propose key points and plans of action. Her logistics and organizational skills are world class, and her follow up is superb. As you can read, my professional opinion of Johanne is of the highest level. I believe she can excel at virtually any assignment or challenge presented.

- John Hamm - Strategy and Leadership Advisor, Former VC, Former TCG - The Chasm Group Advisors and Former CEO

I have known Johanne since the times she was building BOSS when helping high-tech executives and companies with globalization and International market development. She was a pioneer in her field helping American companies not treating International as an afterthought. She was an invaluable trusted advisor to senior executives and CEOs in need to succeed in Europe and in need to adjust their leadership style to grow their organizations overseas. I recommend Johanne to CEOs and Executives as a partner when significantly challenged to take their organizations to new levels. She has broad operating, marketing and leadership experience and a proven track record to continually deliver results. Her dynamism is infectious/inspirational.

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