Russell Reynolds Associates Releases Global Board Culture Survey Rooted in Understanding Behaviors that Drive Board Effectiveness

During the summer of 2016, 369 corporate (supervisory) large public company directors from a dozen countries participated in Russell Reynolds Associates’ Global Board Culture Survey. The goal of the survey was to better understand the director behaviors that create a high-performing board culture and drive board effectiveness.

Directors around the world were surprisingly consistent in the top five behaviors they named as key to a strong culture and an effective board. The survey showed that the attributes that define an effective director transcend cultural and national differences.

Although survey participants agreed on the five key director behaviors, the survey also revealed that only the most effective and well-led boards were able to successfully incorporate the desired director behaviors into how the board actually operates.

In our survey, we asked directors which behaviors are most important in fostering a board culture that drives effectiveness and company performance. Our research and global experience working with boards show that boards develop their own culture and behavioral norms. For boards to function optimally, the board must have the right mix of relevant expertise and experience, and the board culture should be constructive and engaged.

Given the wide range of corporate governance regimes that exist globally, we expected that the behaviors directors would cite as most important would also vary widely, especially given that corporate boards exist within the context of a national culture. We expected to see some of the common cultural stereotypes play out in our data, with some nationalities favoring more candor and others emphasizing the importance of building trust and respect among directors.

To view the full survey, visit www.russellreynolds.com/insights/thought-leadership/global-board-culture-survey