Boardrooms Under Pressure: How Corporate Directors Can Lead Through Chaos
Our team recently partnered with some of the country’s most seasoned corporate directors of publicly traded companies — leaders who have weathered plenty of storms. But during our discussion, the weight was different. Market disruptions. Attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Global supply chains under strain.
Through our conversation, they raised so many shared problems: confusion about legal attacks, tension with balancing financial and reputational risk, pressure to navigate domestic uncertainty while not falling behind in global markets, and more. By the end, one question lingered in the air: How do we lead through this?
What struck me is that even in the midst of uncertainty, corporate directors hold some of the most strategic levers to steady companies in chaotic times.
Here are three steps directors can take now to navigate through a rapidly changing and confusing environment:
1. Look Beyond the U.S.
One theme that kept surfacing was how easy it is for boards to get trapped in the noise of U.S. politics and litigation. But directors reminded each other that the global market doesn’t pause for domestic debates.
Tariffs, geopolitical instability, and supply chain disruptions all ripple across borders — putting U.S. companies at risk of losing their competitive edge if boards don’t widen their lens. When directors widen their lens, they help sustain not just their companies, but also the principles of free enterprise that depend on open markets and global competitiveness.
The key takeaway is that directors must draw insights from international peers and trends to inform their decisions. Looking outward isn’t a distraction; it’s a survival strategy.
2. Build Unlikely Partnerships
Today’s complexity demands cross-sector collaboration. Directors need to reach beyond the boardroom and work with stakeholders they might have previously overlooked — whether that’s civil society groups, industry associations, or policy advocates.
And here’s the good news: many of the challenges directors are struggling with already have solutions in motion. For example, multiple directors were unaware that organizations like Raben are consistently developing rapid response surveys that help inform narrative and mindset shifts to help inform strategic direction. The problem is not the absence of answers, but the lack of connection to the organizations that advance them. Think of it as the corporate director version of “there’s an app for that.”
Some places to start:
3. Connect Across Industries
The most common refrain I heard: “We feel isolated.” Now more than ever, directors can’t afford to operate in silos and must be proactive to build networks that inform the ground truth.
Building stronger connective tissue across industries helps leaders spot trends, share solutions, and act with clarity. One of the joys of partnering with corporate directors to address their immediate needs is the collective sigh of relief they experience when tapping into each other’s wisdom and insights.
Some peer networks and initiatives worth exploring:
- Billion Dollar Roundtable
- ELF’s corporate board diversity initiative
- NACD
None of this is optional. Fiduciary duty is not just about maximizing shareholder value in the short term. In this moment, fulfilling fiduciary duty also means safeguarding the company’s long-term resilience and defending the conditions that allow free enterprise to flourish — open markets, diverse talent, and the freedom to innovate. That requires a willingness to zoom out, broaden partnerships, and break down silos.
In the coming months, I’ll be continuing these conversations with corporate directors — including at the National Association of Corporate Directors’ upcoming invite-only meeting — and sharing more practical insights here.
My hope is that each Ty’s Take gives you something you can act on immediately. Because while the pressures are real, so are the solutions.
