Board Strategy: Who You Seat Shapes Growth

The Business Emergency Room: For Leaders Facing Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity & Ambiguity (VUCA)

Most boards don’t fail because of bad people. They fail because the right people aren’t at the table when it counts.

Maartje van Krieken sits down with Dr. Keith Dorsey, the founder of Boardroom Journey, to talk about what makes a board truly effective, and why board composition strategy should never be an afterthought. If your company is scaling fast or hitting friction, are the voices in your boardroom equipped to help you grow? Dr. Dorsey shares why defaulting to well-known CEOs and CFOs can backfire, and how to identify the real gaps in expertise that could be holding you back.

They dig into how thoughtful board refreshment can increase board impact on growth, and what it takes to align governance with the company’s next chapter. The conversation also looks at the fallout from virtual-only board interactions, and why relationship-building still matters more than efficiency.

As Dr. Dorsey puts it, the goal isn’t just filling seats. It’s making sure the people in them can see what’s coming and ask the right questions when the pressure hits.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Meet Dr. Keith Dorsey

01:14 Why Board Composition Strategy Matters for Growth

03:49 Key Roles of Board Members: Management, Advisory, Governance

06:51 The Risk of “Shiny Object” Board Appointments

10:24 Board Relationships in a Post-Pandemic World

12:50 How Virtual Meetings Affect Board Impact on Growth

16:49 Building a Culture of Inquiry and Strategic Alignment

19:10 Emotional Intelligence as a Boardroom Advantage

21:01 What “Optimal Diversity” Looks Like on a Board

Links

Connect with Dr. Keith D. Dorsey:

[email protected]

https://www.boardroomjourney.com/

https://www.boardroomjourney.com/book

Dr. Keith Dorsey is a seasoned board member, researcher, and author of The Boardroom Journey, a practical guide for executives pursuing corporate board service. His thought leadership on governance and board effectiveness appears in outlets like Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company. A 2023 NACD Directorship 100™ honoree and Certified Director, Keith serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards, including Vimly Benefit Solutions, Continu, Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School, and others. He holds a doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from USC.

Connect with Maartje van Krieken:

https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/

https://maartjeturnschaosaround.substack.com/

Host Maartje van Krieken is a crisis strategist and decision-making expert who thrives in high-stakes business environments. Combining disaster management training, hands-on experience in global industries, and leadership skills honed as a seasoned sailor, she helps businesses navigate chaos with precision. Whether tackling transformation, scaling challenges, or leadership bottlenecks, Maartje delivers actionable insights to turn turbulence into traction.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm