Executive Stretch Over St Paul's

I facilitated a "Force Fate" session for the Executive Board of a large insurance business last week. The Force Fate phrase comes from a Nike commercial made during the Vancouver games in which the notions of taking control and practice are brilliantly depicted in the context of ice hockey.

This particular Board were meeting effectively for the first time following a tough year (a "near death experience" as the CEO put it), restructuring and the appointment of several new Board members. Our location was a rooftop board room which looked out over the stunning St Paul's cathedral.

I had been asked to help them consider their current situation and to reflect on whether they were taking the appropriate levels of risk for their customers and shareholders. Given the context the CEO wanted to challenge the team by asking; "have we become too conservative?".

Force Fate set the session up really well and the ensuing discussion was broad and deep and covered pretty much all of the organisations portfolio. It was clear though, like other new teams, that the group still had some forming to do. With only a couple of exceptions the Board members stuck to their "knitting" only really expressing views about their own areas and not being too keep to take collective actions. This was fascinating and I really felt for the group (i.e. not quite a team yet), you could feel stress of the past 18 months in the room.

Whist the financial sector in the UK has taken some stick recently (much of it deserved) I really do think it is time to let them get on with their jobs. After all they look after our investments and pensions and without their efforts many of us would not enjoy a happy and financially secure future. The financial crisis has, without a doubt, been game changing and this particular company have a keen eye on their "social responsibilities".