Emma Coombe

Welcome to the Leadership Lounge, a place to kick back and listen as our experts dissect some of the biggest questions leaders face today.

I'm Emma Coombe, Leadership Advisor in our London office and host of the Leadership Lounge podcast.

We're starting this year with an important topic, one that can define a CEO's early success.

how new CEOs can build a productive relationship with their board.

For any incoming chief executive, the board can be a powerful ally or an unexpected source of tension.

And the tone you set early on matters.

So today we'll explore why the CEO board relationship is so critical in that first year of leadership.

what practical steps CEOs can take to establish trust, alignment and open communication, and how to navigate inevitable differences of perspective while keeping the relationship productive.

Before we dive in, remember to share any questions you want our experts to answer by emailing redefiners at russellreynolds.com.

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And if you enjoy our episodes, leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.

So let's dive in.

Our first guest in the lounge today is Rusty O'Kelly, Leadership Advisor in Russell Reynolds Associates Florida office, and someone who is well-versed in guiding new CEOs through their first year in role and beyond.

Rusty, welcome back to the Leadership Lounge.

Rusty, let's start with the fundamentals, if I may.

What can a new CEO do to best prepare for the role and lay the foundations for a productive relationship with their board?

You're absolutely right, Rusty.

And in fact, our data found that not engaging the board early in their tenure was a big regret for CEOs.

25% of new CEOs told us they wished they had engaged the board more effectively in their early days.

Meeting board members one-to-one and understanding them as a person is early risk management for new CEOs.