166. OK, maybe *do* just go with the flow (Condition #15: flexibility)

Yes, yes, I know it was only two episodes ago that I went on about being intentional about the cadence of decision-making. And I stand by it! Mostly. You see, being intentional isn’t the same as choosing a path and stubbornly sticking to it. Best laid plans blah blah. But here’s the thing: unexpected stuff happens! Yes you have laws and regulations and policies to follow (more on that later in the season) but those really only affect a little bit of the work of good governance. Here’s a trivial example: Your hip-hop technology company has 15 minutes allocated on the agenda for a discussion of the best albums of 2022. The board mostly agrees that Cheat Codes by Black Thought and Danger Mouse is a great album and deserves to be in the top 5 – maybe even #1. But a debate about whether Danger Mouse’s production style is brilliant, moody and lush or vaguely monotonous and bland leads to an idea for a potential new beatmaking interface – something earth shattering. And then the board chair interrupts, saying “OK time’s up! Let’s review this quarter’s strategic milestones.” It’s true that we agreed to a 15 minute discussion, and that we have lots of other work to do, and that the board’s oversight of strategy is an important part of their job. But let’s be real: who could fault you for just kinda saying “forget the agenda!” and diving into an idea that might revolutionize your company? Not the regulators. Not your General Counsel. Not anyone.