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CHRIS CATTON, from page 1
succession planning, find someone who’s been through a leadership transition. If digital transformation is a blind spot, bring in an advisor who’s guided change in technology adoption. Strategic alignment ensures your board adds real value, not just prestige. ■ Chemistry. Boards run on trust. Even the sharpest strategic thinker won’t help much if they can’t build rapport with your leadership team. Honesty, reliability, and an unwavering commitment to doing what’s right are fundamental to building trust. Chemistry doesn’t mean everyone agrees all the time, but it does means advisors can challenge ideas without making discussions personal. It means they know how to listen, read the room, and keep conversations productive. Look for people who can be candid and collaborative. That balance is what turns board discussions into constructive, high-value dialogue. ■ Discipline. Effective boards operate with discipline and a collaborative spirit. Meaning board members take their role seriously. The right advisors will expect structured agendas, accurate financials, and follow-through on action items. They’ll hold leadership accountable, and they’ll model accountability themselves. This discipline has a ripple effect. Staff see it and gain confidence. Clients, lenders, and potential partners see it and trust your firm’s stability. Well-run boards project professionalism, both inside and outside the firm. ■ Compensation . If you want high-caliber advisors, you need to treat the role with respect by paying members fairly. A token honorarium may attract goodwill, but it won’t attract the level of talent that can fundamentally strengthen your firm. Compensation signals that you value their contribution. More importantly, it reframes the role as an investment, not a courtesy. The right advisor can help you avoid costly missteps – or identify opportunities you might otherwise miss. That’s worth more than the expense of their seat at the table. ■ Role clarity. Finally, clarity matters. Advisors are not on the board to act as managers. Their job is to advise, to challenge, to identify the blind spots, and to help leadership see around corners. Setting those boundaries keeps the relationship healthy. Advisors add perspective without undermining management. They bring strategic value without stepping into day-to-day execution. PUTTING IT TOGETHER. When you bring together independence, perspective, strategic alignment, chemistry, discipline, fair compensation, and role clarity, you create a board that elevates your leadership team rather than distracting it. The right board helps you move faster on decisions, operate with more credibility, and prepare for transitions with confidence. It steadies your culture, strengthens governance, and projects professionalism to clients, staff, and partners alike. The payoff is significant. Firms with strong boards make better decisions and make them faster. They avoid pitfalls, spot opportunities earlier, and signal to the market that they are serious businesses, not just collections of talented professionals. If your current board is made up only of familiar faces who all share the same stories, it may be time to rethink who’s sitting at the table. Adding the right advisors won’t dilute your culture – it will protect it. In a business climate where talent, capital, and strategy are all moving faster than ever, having a board of advisors built with the right people may be the most valuable investment you make in the future of your firm. Ready to strengthen your boardroom? The right advisors don’t just fill seats – they shape outcomes. Zweig Group’s Board Search Advisory services connect AEC firms with independent, high-impact board members who bring strategy, perspective, and capacity to drive growth and governance. Learn more here ! Chris Catton is director of Talent consulting services at Zweig Group. Contact her at ccatton@zweiggroup.com.
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THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 27, 2025, ISSUE 1607
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