Become a High-Value Director: Demonstrate Influence, Judgment, and Significant Shareholder Impact
Monday September 14, 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM PT / 1:00 PM - 1:50 PM ET
 
Own the Room Track Leaders: Gayle Crowell, Sue Harnett, Sara Lord, Laura Provenzale
 
In today's boardrooms, credentials are table stakes. What differentiates truly high-value directors is not experience alone—but how they shape outcomes when it matters most.
This session explores how corporate board directors can intentionally build a strategy to increase their impact, influence, and effectiveness in the boardroom. We will examine the hard skills that matter—capital allocation, risk governance, growth oversight, talent strategy—and, more importantly, the executive presence that often determines board success: judgment under ambiguity, boardroom awareness, constructive courage, synthesis, and trust with management.
Participants will unpack what it really means when a director is said to "own the room," and how that differs from dominance or airtime. We will also clarify the critical distinction between a CEO mindset and a board mindset—and why many experienced executives struggle to make that shift.
Designed for current directors and aspiring board leaders, this session provides a practical framework and personal work plan to help attendees define their differentiation strategy, strengthen their board presence, and prepare for the defining moments—CEO transitions, crises, and inflection points—that shape director reputations.
 
Moderator: Gayle Crowell
Speakers: Barbara Turner, Evelyn Dilsaver