COVID-19 and the board: A chair’s point of view  

This perspective examines how the work of boards at this pivotal moment will be a critical factor in an organization’s ability to emerge from the current crisis and push forward into a new era of economic recovery and opportunity for the benefit of all stakeholders.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has hit all states and provinces in the United States and Canada and as of this writing, the number of cases is rising every day. While our countries and others around the world grapple with how to respond, businesses should be supporting the health and well-being of their people and initiatives to help “flatten the curve.”

As two chairs experiencing this pandemic and its aftermath within their boards and those of clients, this perspective offers five principles that strong boards exemplify during a crisis:

• Take care of each other
• Challenge the operating model of your board
• Be flexible in board engagement
• Take the long view
• Ask deliberate questions