Management-Issues.com, a UK site that "focuses on the leadership, management and people issues that are at the heart of the changing workplace," has an article reporting results from a survey conducted by Ernst & Young and recruiter exec-appointments.com of 50 non-execs age 50 or under. The survey suggests that there is a diminished talent pool from which major UK public companies can recruit. Among the talents deemed in short supply are individuals and boards who can provide strategic leadership.
The research also uncovered a consistent undercurrent of anxiety over the low priority given to strategic and scenario planning.
"The overarching picture is that there is a real and worrying call for better board strategies, backed by rigorous scenario and contingency planning," the report warned.
"Few are satisfied that their board process delivers the quality of forward-looking plans that will enable them to deliver expected results," it added.
Thayer [CEO of exec-appointments.com] argued many non-execs were not comfortable that they were sufficiently engaged in strategy, that development strategies were not being developed which explored multiple scenarios and not enough time was being given to debate and refine proposed strategies.