Boards Quote by Jeffrey Sonnenfeld
“What distinguishes exemplary boards is that they are robust, effective social systems . . .The highest performing companies have extremely contentious boards that regard dissent as an obligation and that treat no subject as undiscussable.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Boards That Ran America by Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, 2020
Effective boards are built on open dissent and treating every topic as discussable, fostering robust decision‑making.
In simple terms: Boards work best when dissent is welcomed.
Encourage open debate on all issues.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- corporate strategy meetings
- board retreats
- crisis management
- policy development
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you ensure dissent stays constructive?
- What mechanisms keep discussions focused?
Dissent can become unproductive if not managed constructively.