Creating a winning board: differing approaches of the boards of successful and struggling companies

Purpose – The article is intended to share findings from an ongoing investigation undertaken by questionnaire survey, interview and in‐company observation into the leadership of performance improvement and corporate transformation. Design/methodology/approach – The article examines and compares the approaches and behaviours of winning and losing boards. Findings – Directors and boards of companies that succeed at managing change, competing and winning exhibit very different approaches Practical implications – Trainers and developers need to understand the differing approaches of the boards of successful and struggling companies and encourage and help directors, both individually and collectively, to learn from, emulate and develop the approaches and behaviours of those boards that are successful in managing change, competing and winning. Originality/value – The article highlights behaviours and approaches that trainers and developers need to encourage if directors and boards are to become more effective at managing change, competing and winning.