Training Magazine - June 2008 - (Page 50)

AcrossBoard insights in ways that are relevant, The perception of HR as a strateuseful, and engaging, so that it is seen gic partner is crucial to HR’s ability as a strategic partner, insists Tina to enhance board training. To sucS. Van Dam, acting director, The ceed, HR directors must counter Governance Center and the Directors’ some widely held perceptions— Institute at The Conference Board in namely, that HR execs tend not to New York. “The time is good to focus have the same holistic view of the on pay for performance and executive company as other senior managecompensation,” she says—areas in ment teams, and that they tend to be which HR has expertise. risk adverse. “One of the challenges for HR is There also is some concern that that we try to get too much in front of training provided by management the board,” the BBC’s Kelly says. —or selected by in-house personnel “Instead, go with fewer things of —could compromise the board’s higher quality.” For example, he asks, independence. “It does gives board “Why would the board spend 40 minindependence a little slant, but utes discussing talent management not unduly,” says Nick Fabrizio, when it could use the time to discuss senior consultant, Medical Group acquiring another company?” HR can Management Associates. correlate the two. Simply put, talent quality adds significant value to the company and affects its position during any discussion of acquisitions or However training is approached, it mergers. Consequently, talent manincreasingly is viewed as vital to the agement should be a key interest, health of the company and its govalong with succession planning and erning board. The focus is evolving organizational development. “Make from basics such as ethics to such those topics interesting and engaging, issues as enterprise risk manageas a way to open the boardroom ment, executive compensation, doors to HR,” he advises. investor expectations and communications, government practices, Whether HR’s involvement with and reputation management. the board is strategic or merely logisBut the need for basic brushups is tical “depends upon how broadly HR At First Pioneer Credit, board education begins with a one-day basic orientation, followed by still there. Integrity International is defined,” and whether HR is viewed more detailed training geared to specific needs. focuses on compliance, ethics, and as a strategic partner, according to corporate responsibility—areas, David Larcker, co-director of the according to business consultant Richard Cellini, VP of Integrity Stanford Directors’ Forum, director of the corporate Governance International, in which missteps “can kill or seriously damage a Research Program, and co-director of the Arthur and Toni company (or career) overnight.” Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford If you don’t believe it, just look at the fallout from the e-mail University. debacles at HP, which belatedly realized that tracking employees’ e-mail usage wasn’t a good idea, or the difficulties of former Director of The firewall between boards and the companies they govern tend to be strong, Central Intelligence John Deutch, who, after storbut they’re not insurmountable. To help strengthen board members’ skills: ing classified documents on an unsecured home • Focus on expertise you can bring to the board. Approach the corporate secrecomputer, received a Presidential pardon. tary, chief governance officer, or general counsel to discuss the board’s key Issues such as those are clear indications that concerns in terms of the expertise you can bring to specific programs. even seasoned, savvy execs need occasional • Combine external and internal training for best results. reminders on basics such as the proper use of • Use real-world examples from that company’s own experience when you computers and the Internet, avoiding conflicts of address the board. interest, and inadvertently speaking for the organ• Become the organizational conscience, watching the subtle signals among ization, as well as what constitutes anti-trust and directors to keep execs apprised of what’s going on and focused on what’s fair competition. really important. At First Pioneer Credit in Enfield, CT, “there’s • Facilitate dialogue within small groups, perhaps board committees, to an effort underway for a more refined and strucaddress the core issues. Save the seminars for broader training. tured training system,” says general counsel the Basics and More Quick Tips 50 | JUNE 2008 t r a i n i n g w w w. t r a i n i n g m a g . c o m http://www.trainingmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Training Magazine - June 2008

Training Magazine - June 2008 Contents Online TOC Editor’s Note Live & Online Training Today Soapbox How-To World View Changes With Penguins Keeping Forced Ranking Out of Court Across the Board Certify Me Meetings CPR How Secure Is Your Data? Training Leadership Summit Wrap-Up Tools of the Trade Inprint Questions for Covey

Training Magazine - June 2008

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