A shadow board is a group of young, nonexecutive employees tapped to work with the executive board on strategic initiatives. It’s designed to introduce a company’s (typically middle-aged) leadership team to new perspectives and insights, thereby helping to drive strategy. The shadow board might contribute to initiatives as significant as developing a new marketing plan, redesigning a business model, or updating key processes in the organization’s value chain. It can also shift corporate culture in two ways: Board members can gain access to new perspectives and younger employees can experience the inner workings of a board and share what they learn with their peers.
Anuj Shrestha
How Shadow Boards Bridge Generational Divides
They let younger employees partner with senior leaders on strategic initiatives.
March 08, 2022
· Long read
Summary.
A shadow board is a group of nonexecutive employees who work with senior executives on strategic initiatives. It is designed to leverage insights from younger generations and to diversify the perspectives that executives are exposed to. These boards can be used to test and pilot novel initiatives that are important to younger employees, bridge generational gaps between workers, and create respect and understanding across the organizational hierarchy.