Episode 18: Ignorance is Bliss… but not in the Boardroom of the Future

Future Directors Podcast

Ignorance might be blissful for some, but it certainly doesn’t help a successful career in the boardroom. If there’s one thing directors need, it’s the ability to remain forever curious, open-minded, and both internally and externally aware. Without these, ignorance flourishes. But if you want to combat that ignorance, then listen to the latest instalment of Boardroom Hustle.

In this episode, Paul chats to Jeff De Cagna, author of Foresight is the Future of Governing, who gives us the most effective antidote to common ignorance: foresight. Jeff is the CEO of Foresight First LLC that aims to improve the way non-profit and association boards perform by cultivating their use of foresight. For over 15 years, Jeff has taught people how to encourage foresight, helping them use it effectively. He provides actionable advice that allows individuals to apply their learned skills to director roles in order to improve and better the performance of both themselves and their boards.

Paul and Jeff also discuss the positive ways that foresight impacts diversity, the best perspective to view voluntary (not volunteer!) director positions in a way that gets the most out of them, and why fear can be used as a highly effective motivational tool.

This podcast episode is perfect for you if you’re also wondering:

• What is foresight and how you can encourage it in your own thinking
• How boards can utilise foresight to make themselves the best possible decision-makers for their companies or organisations
• The fundamental changes that need to occur in the boardroom right now, in order to begin really making a difference
• Why a ‘bigger’ boardroom doesn’t actually always mean ‘better’
• How you can help your board look beyond the present scope to consider all things future, without becoming futurists
• The opportunity we’re facing at the moment that will allow us to redesign the boardroom in a way to make it really compelling, satisfying and rewarding
• How boards can invest their capabilities even more effectively to make the best impact on the important issues, and how foresight is such an integral part of this
• And, an insight into Jeff’s own foresight, namely, what issues does he think boards will come up against in the near future?

Links:

Future Directors Website: https://futuredirectors.com/

Paul Smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/futurepaulsmith/

Anna Byrne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-byrne-13901262/

Jeff’s eBook: http://futureofgoverningbook.co

Foresight First: http://foresightfirst.io/

Jeff De Cagna LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/foresightfirst