Your Board Can Make or Break Your Company's Growth with Keith Dorsey

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Boards have the power to transform your company's trajectory, but founders often struggle to leverage them effectively. Dr. Keith Dorsey, author of "The Boardroom Journey" and boardroom expert with experience spanning military service, corporate leadership, and academic research, joins Gwyneth Beaver-Crary to decode what truly makes a high-functioning board.
Drawing from his experience serving on five different boards and his doctorate research on corporate governance, Dr. Dorsey dismantles the common founder mindset that views boards as obstacles rather than assets. He outlines the three critical functions boards should serve: management support, advisory service, and governance oversight. The most effective boards operate with a "noses in, fingers out" philosophy—asking thought-provoking questions without micromanaging operations.
Beyond structure and function, this conversation tackles the often-overlooked importance of board composition. Traditional approaches focused on filling seats with familiar faces and fellow CEOs create dangerous echo chambers. Instead, Dr. Dorsey advocates for cognitive diversity and strategic alignment, explaining how to assess both visible skills (the 10% above the iceberg) and underlying competencies (the 90% below). His practical advice on conducting board assessments and facilitating difficult transitions offers founders a roadmap for building boards that evolve alongside their companies.
Perhaps most valuable is Dr. Dorsey's guidance on vulnerability in board interactions. By sharing "the good, bad, and ugly" rather than carefully orchestrating presentations, founders can transform board meetings from obligatory check-ins to powerful strategic sessions that genuinely accelerate growth. Ready to stop dreading your board meetings and start leveraging them as true assets? This episode provides the blueprint you need.
Looking to strengthen your board or find your place in the boardroom? Connect with Dr. Dorsey at boardroomjourney.com or check out his book to continue your boardroom journey.

Chapters

1. Board as Rocket Booster or Drag (00:00:00)

2. Keith Dorsey's Boardroom Journey (00:05:15)

3. True Purpose of a Corporate Board (00:08:40)

4. Mindset Shift: Board as Catalyst (00:13:20)

5. Assessing and Refreshing Board Composition (00:17:15)

6. Vulnerability and Board Meeting Success (00:22:40)