14 May, 2021

Brain bias: Think before your next appointment

Your brain may fool you into accepting poor appointments, so what should you do about it?

Brain bias. Photo: aboutmodafinil.com, Flickr.

So, that’s it, you got the call. You have been asked to join a board. You do a quick internet search before accepting. You find plenty of articles recommending that you do your due diligence: check out the strategy, the competition, the financials, etc. By all means, do this. It is useful, even crucial. But also consider a potentially more dangerous threat: your own brain. I often ask senior executives and experienced directors if they want to join the board of a hypothetical company. I disguise its name but the company is Parmalat. With all the information in front of them, typically about one-third accepts. It is not lack of data

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board careers, nomination, non-executive directors, personal due diligence, selection