The world is becoming more complex, the number of uncertainties is increasing and what we thought was granted must be reconsidered. With ever more complicated legislation, where the needs and concerns of each other are constantly evolving, how can you adapt, anticipate and sustain your business in this uncertain climate?
Today, to ensure the future of your company, many skills are required and relevant and reasoned positions are expected. So how can you guarantee that decisions will always be made in the best interest of the company? How to deal with everyday emergencies while remaining confident for the future? For a boss, alone at the head of his company, it is difficult or even impossible to achieve this because it is the role of a board of directors.
The mission of the board of directors does not stop at demanding and controlling. It is there to support the operational management in achieving the objectives set. By providing their expertise, skills, advice and networks. The Board of Directors and its independent directors provide the momentum and create opportunities for growth.
Therefore, the choice of members requires real reflection. But before deciding who we want around the table, we must first determine what their role will be.
The board of directors focuses on the sustainability of the company. It is mainly concerned with the long-term vision. But it also works in times of crisis. Given the period of instability we are going through, it is important to recruit profiles who, armed with long professional experience, are able to make decisions with a cool head. The transition from a health crisis to a war has considerable economic and social implications. The world is changing ever faster and our way of working together is constantly being questioned. Adaptation and anticipation become essential qualities to deal with it. The Board of Directors is there to find opportunities beyond these challenges, to navigate between risk management, agility and the right strategic posture.
Technological adaptations: Today the question is no longer whether to digitize but how? The protection of personal data (LPD) is being revised in Switzerland, with a compliance requirement that companies must meet. Not to mention that cybercrime is exploding. How to integrate these new elements into your organization? How much should we, can we invest, for how many positions? Which solution to choose? Who to work with?
Including an IT expert on your board of directors means acquiring considerable expertise. It means being guided and reassured on all these delicate issues.
Always more innovation: How to meet and anticipate the new needs of our customers? How to retain them? What should be invented? What are we ready to change? Will the company’s vision have an impact on the evolution of products and services? For example, pressure on sustainability issues will inevitably influence the company’s offer. It must be able to rethink its offer, to integrate a coherent vision of its global environmental impact and the way in which it addresses it.
What about people: The management of employees, their working conditions, the balance between private and professional life are also important issues. How to ensure that they share the values and the vision of the company? How to get them to own it? So that they recognize themselves in it? Management is also going through a revolution and not considering the needs of its employees means taking the risk of losing them quickly.
And the environment: What has the company implemented so far and what does it want to achieve tomorrow? Zero waste, zero paper? Minimize travel? Produce locally? What can the company afford? What budget is allocated to it? What is the Company willing to give up?
In addition to crisis management, here are some things boards need to address. But how to ensure that the members will be objective and focused on the needs of the company? The solution, include independent board members! At APIA, we provide competent independent board members in different fields of business to meet the needs of managers of Swiss SMEs. So do not hesitate to contact us to set up or simply to complete your board of directors.
APIA Swiss Team