STEP INTO THE BOARDROOM
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What is the best advice you’ve received about how to be an effective board director – Advice that even today you carry with you to every board meeting?
There is no such thing as a stupid question. While you may not be as familiar with an industry or topic, asking a basic question can surface insights others have overlooked. Directors are in the room because they bring a distinct perspective, and thoughtful questions sharpen decision making. Early in my board career, I held back a question, thinking it was stupid and that, as the newest director, I should stay quiet. Minutes later, the high-profile CEO of a Fortune 100 company asked it. That moment changed me. Different perspectives are the reason you are in the room, so ask the question. That is why you are there: to probe, clarify, and constructively challenge management’s thinking.
There is no such thing as a stupid question. While you may not be as familiar with an industry or topic, asking a basic question can surface insights others have overlooked. Directors are in the room because they bring a distinct perspective, and thoughtful questions sharpen decision making. Early in my board career, I held back a question, thinking it was stupid and that, as the newest director, I should stay quiet. Minutes later, the high-profile CEO of a Fortune 100 company asked it. That moment changed me. Different perspectives are the reason you are in the room, so ask the question. That is why you are there: to probe, clarify, and constructively challenge management’s thinking.
STEP INTO THE BOARDROOM
What is the best advice you’ve received about how to be an effective board director – Advice that even today you carry with you to every board meeting?
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GIL CASELLAS serves on the board of directors of Prudential Financial, Inc. and on advisory boards for Toyota Motor North America, Comcast Corporation, and the Millstein Center at Columbia Law School. A former Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, he has held senior leadership roles in business, law, and government, including General Counsel of the U.S. Air Force and head of corporate responsibility at Dell. Recognized by NACD as one of the 100 most influential boardroom leaders, he is a graduate of Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
STEP INTO THE BOARDROOM WITH GIL CASELLAS WITH THREE INSIGHTS
TAKE THE FIRST STEP
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If you could go back to earlier in your career, what advice would you give yourself — and other aspiring executives — on how to position for board service?
First and foremost, become truly accomplished in your principal field. If you are a finance executive, be exceptional in finance. If you are in legal, operations, technology, or another discipline, demonstrate real mastery and impact in that area. Boards recruit directors for the skills and experience they bring, so excellence in your field is table stakes. Many candidates can point to impressive titles and broad responsibilities. What distinguishes the strongest board candidates is their ability to show how they have shaped strategy, executed against it, and delivered measurable impact.
To truly make an impact as a director, prioritize collaboration grounded in mutual respect with both management and fellow board members. Constructive challenge is essential, but it must be delivered respectfully and without unnecessary friction. You have to walk a fine line between encouraging management and coming down too hard. The secret sauce of board success is collaboration and collegiality to reach a consensus, but not necessarily unanimity. When directors respect one another, they feel comfortable expressing their views, asking hard questions, and constructively challenging management. If everyone feels respected, people are more willing to share their opinions. That is the point of the boardroom: bringing your best thinking into the room to help shape the company’s future.
SHAPE THE FUTURE
What does it take for a director to move from merely “filling a board seat” to truly shaping the future of the company?
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About the Board Perspectives Series: Guided by our motto — Step into the boardroom. Shape the future. — we ask three signature questions that uncover lessons from the past, practical wisdom for the present, and a vision for the future.
Board Perspectives
GIL CASELLAS
There is no such thing as a stupid question. Asking a basic question can surface insights others have overlooked.
Three POWERFUL INSIGHTS to SHAPE Your Boardroom Future
STEP INTO THE BOARDROOM WITH LAURA BARNES WITH THREE INSIGHTS
About the Board Perspectives Series: Guided by our motto — Step into the boardroom. Shape the future. — we ask three signature questions that uncover lessons from the past, practical wisdom for the present, and a vision for the future.
LAURA BARNES is a strategic senior banking executive and board leader with a disciplined, enterprise-focused approach to governance. She brings broad industry experience and strong stakeholder insight to drive performance, strengthen risk oversight, and support long-term value creation.
Laura has served in multiple board roles, including Chair of one organization, where she led CEO succession and key governance initiatives. Recognized for uniting leaders around complex issues, she elevates boardroom dialogue and advances decisions rooted in innovation, accountability, and operational excellence.
LAURA BARNES is a strategic senior banking executive and board leader with a disciplined, enterprise-focused approach to governance. She brings broad industry experience and strong stakeholder insight to drive performance, strengthen risk oversight, and support long-term value creation.
Laura has served in multiple board roles, including Chair of one organization, where she led CEO succession and key governance initiatives. Recognized for uniting leaders around complex issues, she elevates boardroom dialogue and advances decisions rooted in innovation, accountability, and operational excellence.
STEP INTO THE BOARDROOM WITH LAURA BARNES WITH THREE INSIGHTS
About the Board Perspectives Series: Guided by our motto — Step into the boardroom. Shape the future. — we ask three signature questions that uncover lessons from the past, practical wisdom for the present, and a vision for the future.
STEP INTO THE BOARDROOM WITH
GIL CASELLAS WITH THREE INSIGHTS
About the Board Perspectives Series: Guided by our motto — Step into the boardroom. Shape the future. — we ask three signature questions that uncover lessons from the past, practical wisdom for the present, and a vision for the future.
GIL CASELLAS serves on the board of directors of Prudential Financial, Inc. and on advisory boards for Toyota Motor North America, Comcast Corporation, and the Millstein Center at Columbia Law School. A former Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, he has held senior leadership roles in business, law, and government, including General Counsel of the U.S. Air Force and head of corporate responsibility at Dell. Recognized by NACD as one of the 100 most influential boardroom leaders, he is a graduate of Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
SHAPE THE FUTURE
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What does it take for a director to move from merely “filling a board seat” to truly shaping the future of the company?
To truly make an impact as a director, prioritize collaboration grounded in mutual respect with both management and fellow board members. Constructive challenge is essential, but it must be delivered respectfully and without unnecessary friction. You have to walk a fine line between encouraging management and coming down too hard. The secret sauce of board success is collaboration and collegiality to reach a consensus, but not necessarily unanimity. When directors respect one another, they feel comfortable expressing their views, asking hard questions, and constructively challenging management. If everyone feels respected, people are more willing to share their opinions. That is the point of the boardroom: bringing your best thinking into the room to help shape the company’s future.
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