The Balanced Board Member
A stress management presentation series for boards of directors
Being on a board of directors is a prestigious and important role.
However, this responsibility comes with significant sources of potential stress. Board members have a legal and ethical obligation to act in the best interest of the organization and, as such, must regularly make decisions that can have far-reaching consequences for the organization, its stakeholders, or the broader economy. They may face legal, financial, or reputational consequences if decisions they make are seen as negligent or harmful to the organization. The public scrutiny that can sometimes accompany a role on a board of directors can be a stressful experience. To this, add a heavy time commitment that is often above and beyond a member's full-time role or other responsibilities, the need to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and occasional conflict and disagreement among board members.
​
Each of these factors can be overwhelming on its own but these aspects of being on a board of directors converge on a regular basis.
​
It is no wonder that the stress management abilities of board members can significantly impact their engagement, well-being, and effectiveness.
Effective stress management is about building self-awareness and learning to interact with stress in healthy and productive ways.
Managing stress is not an exercise in trying to avoid stress.
Stress is an inevitable part of being on a board of directors.
It’s an inevitable part of life.
Imagine a board members who...
Can navigate high pressure situations with confidence.
Are self-aware enough to recognize when stress is starting to hinder their success and take effective steps to address this.
Have the tools required to deal with stress without sacrificing motivation.
The ability to manage stress effectively does not hinder performance, initiative, or creativity. In fact, effective stress management can enhance all these things.
The Balanced Board Member stress management presentation series empowers board members to confidently navigate the high pressure of their roles. Participants feel heard as they review examples and talk through scenarios that reflect their daily reality. They learn simple yet powerful techniques and concepts they can apply at work or at home.
This presentation series enables board members to...
-
Respond more consciously to stressful situations.
-
Build self-awareness.
-
Improve their focus and concentration.
-
Increase their effectiveness.
-
Bolster their mental health.
​
By attending this presentation series, boards of directors are taking proactive steps to improve their mindsets and well-being and walk away with concrete and immediately applicable tools to help them be their best.
The Balanced Board Member presentation series consists of the following six modules.
1
Managing Your Thoughts
We consider a new way of viewing stress and explore how our mindsets about thoughts can impact our experiences. We look at some surprising information about our thoughts and consider ways to create new habits to better manage them. We also practice breathing, meditation, and visualization techniques.
4
Embracing Mindfulness & Getting in the Flow
We examine how to easily incorporate mindfulness into our lives, as a means of stress management. We consider the critical role that presence and awareness play in our well-being and look at ways to get better at being in the moment. We also practice breathing, meditation, and visualization techniques.
2
Navigating Your Feelings
We continue our exploration of stress by considering the impact that our feelings can have on us. We review various ways to think about and process our feelings without letting them completely take over. We also practice breathing, meditation, and visualization techniques.
5
Managing Difficult Conversations
We explore critical skills like effective communication, active listening, empathy, handling resistance, and navigating conflict. We look at the skills and strategies necessary to engage in productive, empathetic, and successful conversations in high-stakes, emotionally charged, or sensitive situations. We also practice breathing, meditation, and visualization techniques.
3
Elevating Your Mindset
We examine other mindsets that can affect our well-being. We look at common scenarios and consider how topics like facing challenges, finding meaning, and extending kindness can influence not only how we feel throughout the workday but also our effectiveness and confidence. We also practice breathing, meditation, and visualization techniques.
6
Managing
Your Time
We consider how we can start and end our day and workday with intention. We look at how to mindfully manage our time and review key mindsets to help us maximize our effectiveness. We also practice breathing, meditation, and visualization techniques.
Each of the sessions above is approximately 90 minutes in duration.
However, the exact duration can be modified to suit an organization’s specific needs. Sessions can be broken into shorter segments or combined into longer workshops. ​Clients can commit up-front to having their team go through all seven sessions over an extended period of time or they can also choose to offer just one session from the series.