Yes, you can, and should, have fun being a corporate director. Alas, few fiduciaries have any fun while they 'fiduce.'.

AuthorMueller, Robert K.
PositionROAD TO XL * ENDNOTE - Excerpt

Robert Mueller is right--there is not much "governance lite" (or lighthearted) in the pages of this journal over its 40-year history. We know that there is a bonhomie element to being a board member; it is just that so much serious commentary has crowded out any worthy treatment of that side of directorship. So we close out this 40th anniversary issue with an excerpt from a standout article by a standout governance guru: Bob Mueller's "Have Fun While You 'Fiduce' " [Spring 1984], Mueller, sad to say, is no longer with us: the former chairman of storied consulting firm Arthur D. Little died in 1999 after a distinguished career in business and the boardroom (for more on Bob, see his entry in the "Once They Were Giants" article). If Bob, who was a bit of a mentor to me, only knew how many times I referenced his "director's unmatched asset"!--James Kristie

Too few businessmen, and hardly any directors, have the ability to laugh at themselves. The importance of being earnest takes all the play out of directorship and trusteeship. This is a sad situation. Good governance needs a balance and some freeboard between the seriously formal and the relaxed, informal processes of management.

Alas, few fiduciaries have any mental fun while they "fiduce."

Subtle humor clearly serves as a leading edge of social consciousness. Witness the increasing number of caricatures and cartoons about boards of directors, governance, and top management in general. Structure, hierarchy, boardroom ritual, social stratification, solemnity of meetings, and legal and regulatory constraints beget defensiveness and take most of the fun out of serving on a board.

A tranquil boardroom is a desirable state and can be a place for some appropriate humor. Unfortunately, these days many boardrooms are unsettled, even anxious, because of the profound changes taking place which impact their function.

Despite all its obvious advantages, directors are generally afraid of humor--afraid to use it and afraid to have it used. Using it entails high risk, especially for a tyro director, and is generally inadvisable until a director is well established and respected.

There seems to be no objective evidence that a good director or chairman has a better sense of humor than a poor one, but a pertinent experiment was conducted with reference to teachers. A group of students was asked to rate their teachers...

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