BlueSky Thinking Summary

The article tackles a critical question facing many corporate boards: are they stuck in an engagement mode that no longer serves their strategic purpose? Drawing on analysis of 400 board-effectiveness reports, the authors identify four operating modes—passive, mentor, partner, and control—and note that nearly half of boards remain locked in passive mode, deferring too often to management.

While this may suit routine decisions, it can leave boards unprepared when strategic or crisis conditions demand deeper involvement.

The article advocates for a dynamic approach: passive oversight for routine matters, mentorship for strategic insight, partnering on high-stakes collaborative choices, and control for governance-critical issues like CEO succession.

Flexible switching between modes based on context enhances decision quality and responsiveness.

The real measure of a board’s effectiveness lies not in its default posture, but in its capacity to shift gears deliberately—ensuring its collective wisdom is applied at the moment it matters most.