An Enter the Boardroom “Wrapped” Insight — drawn from conversations with world-class Chairs, NEDs, CEOs and governance leaders

One of the most revealing questions we asked board leaders in 2025 was also one of the simplest: “How are you better today as a board member than when you started?”

Despite their varied backgrounds - FTSE chairs, charity leaders, scale-up founders, investors, public-sector executives - their self-assessments converged on a common arc:
the best directors become quieter, sharper, more self-aware and more intentional over time.

Here are the most significant ways directors say they have improved as board members in 2025, drawn directly from their reflections.

They listen more and talk less

Multiple directors described a shift from contribution to consideration. John Allan noted that even when the answer feels obvious, cutting discussion short “frustrates others — you must let it play out.” Annemarie Durbin echoed this: “I used to talk too much. Now I’m more measured.”

They’ve developed more humility

Professor Randall Peterson put it simply: “I have more humility than I used to have.”
He’s not alone. Across the dataset, leaders described becoming more aware of what they don’t know and more comfortable admitting it.

They have become more thoughtful about influence

Boardrooms operate on soft power. Directors such as Angela Seymour-Jackson and Peter Clark noted that effectiveness now comes from how they ask questions, when they raise issues, and how they shape the conversation.

They’re more confident, but less certain.

Many board members reflected that confidence grows, but certainty shrinks. Sir Douglas Flint joked that experience helps because he’s “really old,” but beneath the humour was a deeper point: experience teaches directors to interrogate their own assumptions.

They bring more considered judgement

Board members described learning to distinguish between: what matters and what doesn’t, when to push and when to leave space, and when to challenge and when to support. Annemarie Durbin framed this simply: “I focus on the few things that really matter.”

They have become better at reading people and teams

Working at board level demands emotional intelligence. Angela Seymour-Jackson learned that the management team “always know more than you do — and more than they have to tell you.” Her shift: becoming the kind of director people want to confide in.

They’ve learned to avoid overreliance on instinct

Several directors, including Richard Meddings, Ian Phillips and Louise Hill, described painful lessons where trusting their gut too completely led them astray. Their improvement: pairing intuition with evidence.

They recognise the value of preparation and pre-work

Louise Hill’s defining lesson: “Being mindful that my role is challenge and support — advising, asking, challenging, not doing. And doing the pre-prep. Preparation emerged as a universal differentiator between new and experienced directors.

They’ve become more patient

Margaret Heffernan and Steve Rigby linked this to deeper listening, broader perspective and an ability to stay calm through complexity.

They’ve become better at letting go of ego

Ego drains boardroom quality. Tamara Box, Angela Seymour-Jackson, and others emphasised learning to listen openly, drop defensiveness and engage beyond their functional expertise.

They understand their impact more clearly

For some, improvement came through self-awareness: Jurga Zilinskiene said simply, “I respect advice more.” Others described becoming aware of the subtle influence their tone, timing and questions have on the dynamic in the room.

They’ve cultivated a broader, more systemic view

Boards operate in complexity. Directors such as Rain Newton-Smith described becoming more confident in framing uncertainty, engaging with probabilistic thinking and helping teams thrive under ambiguity.

They benefit from scar tissue

As Gerry Murphy put it: “I get things wrong all the time. The privilege is learning continually from being surrounded by very smart people.” Experience does not guarantee perfection, but it does guarantee pattern recognition.

They have become more selective about where they contribute

Directors recognised that adding value doesn’t mean commenting on everything. Thomas Thune Andersen captured this shift: “I realise my war stories are boring.”

They’ve become more intentional about relationships

Several directors improved by investing in relationships between meetings - with the chair, the CEO, fellow NEDs and stakeholders - understanding these ties strengthen challenge and collaboration.

They’ve become clearer about their purpose on the board

The main shift here was from seeing their role on the board from tactical contribution to strategic stewardship.

They’ve learned to manage energy, not just expertise

From avoiding “ego depletion,” as Eamon Devlin warned, to maintaining boundaries, directors have grown more conscious of pacing themselves.

They’ve embraced continual learning

Many directors echoed Tamara Box’s sentiment: “I’m better than I was — but not nearly as good as I hope to be.”

What These Improvements Reveal About Board Leadership in 2025

1. Experience refines judgment, but only when paired with reflection.

Directors improved not simply by serving time, but by examining their own patterns.

2. Collective stewardship matters more than individual performance 

Leaders became more effective when they realised the board is a system, not a stage.

3. The best directors become quieter and more intentional.

Less airtime. More insight.

4. Psychological maturity is now a defining feature of board excellence.

Humility, patience, curiosity and empathy repeatedly beat technical brilliance alone.