How Board and C-Suite Collaboration Can Build Organizational Resilience
Article Date: 2025-10-22T11:32:43+00:00
Source URL: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2025/10/22/how-board-and-c-suite-collaboration-can-build-organizational-resilience/
Image: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Pasted.png
Summary
This Deloitte-backed piece, posted on the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, reports findings from the Deloitte Global Boardroom research surveying 739 board members and C-suite executives worldwide. It maps how immediate priorities (2025) differ from longer-term concerns (2026+), highlights where boards are increasing oversight (risk, scenario planning, strategy), and calls out gaps between board and C-suite views on board composition and engagement.
The article stresses that resilience requires balancing near-term risk mitigation (geopolitical and economic volatility, cybersecurity) with longer-term investment in technology and people. It emphasises practical leadership behaviours—open communication, frequent informal touchpoints, active chairs—and recommends five focus areas for boards to improve alignment with the C-suite.
Key Points
- Short-term (2025) top concerns: geopolitical/economic volatility (55%), security/cybersecurity (50%), and rapid technological change (42%).
- Longer-term (2026+) priorities shift to technology and digital disruption (52%) and human capital (42%), with geopolitical risk falling in relative priority.
- Boards are increasing activity on strategic risk oversight and scenario planning (71%) and fostering agility in decision-making (53%).
- Open, transparent communication between the board and CEO is viewed as the single most important leadership factor for resilience.
- There are perceptual gaps: 86% of boards feel they provide the right support to management, versus 73% of C-suite respondents; C-suite is more likely to see board composition and engagement as needing improvement.
- Chairs are pivotal—using agenda-setting, informal meetings, and more frequent strategy sessions to improve board effectiveness.
- Five recommended focus areas: regular review of board composition; reflect on board/C-suite dynamics; co-create agendas for deeper discussion; create safe spaces for candid conversations; and expect greater time and engagement from directors.
- Survey methodology: June–July 2025, 739 respondents from 59 countries across industries and organisation types (for-profit, not-for-profit, government-owned).
Context and Relevance
Boards and executives are navigating unprecedented uncertainty while needing to preserve long-term growth. This research is timely for any organisation where governance, strategic resilience and talent/tech investments intersect. It maps current behaviours and offers actionable governance levers—scenario planning, chair engagement, and board refreshment—that mirror wider trends in risk-aware, growth-focused leadership.
Why should I read this?
Short version: if you care about keeping your organisation alive and growing through turbulence, this is worth ten minutes. It cuts through the noise on what boards actually do now, where C-suite and directors disagree, and what to change fast — from who sits on the board to how the chair and CEO plan meetings. Practical, direct and loaded with survey evidence you can use to push for better board-C-suite alignment.
