I enjoy reading the articles Reg Birchfield writes for NZ Management. I figure there’s plenty more I can learn so he keeps me thinking. In the last issue [December 2011] Reg wrote an article headed ‘Leading by relinquishing’.
In that article he says, “Governance, as we have suffered it, must change dramatically and increasingly, women are showing the silly old male fools of yesteryear what it takes.”
As I fall into the ‘silly old fools’ category, I couldn’t help but pay attention. Can I ask you couple of questions – I’m interested in the words, ‘as we have suffered it’ – could you amplify for me please?
Secondly, while I agree that women add very valuable dimension to the boardroom, in what ways do you think women are showing what it takes?
I enjoy governance and I certainly enjoy learning more about how to do it advantageously so I do look forward to Reg’s comments. I try to promote Management magazine to all the people I associate with and I know several of them are avid readers – so your labours are not in vain.
All the best for an exciting 2012.
– Tony Hassed, BoardSense
www.boardsense.co.nz [email protected]
Your questions have led me to focus my leadership column for this issue on the state of governance in New Zealand: though to be honest the situation is not unique to New Zealand. My thoughts are based on lot of additional research including many discussions I have had over recent months. I will follow this up in March with another column on leadership in which I address the other specific aspects of your questioning that I did not go into sufficiently – such as the gender question.
– Reg Birchfield
