The Board Game

Become Brilliant in the Board Room

Why The Board Game is a must have

The Board Game will help you avoid the following traps in the board room:

  • Thinking you’re not smart enough

  • Feeling you don’t have the tools

  • Talking too much or too little

  • Feeling under pressure to be clever

  • Feeling excluded

  • Getting lost in the paperwork

  • Not listening or not being listened to

  • Misreading the politics

  • Focusing on the wrong thing, losing the big picture

What The Board Game is

We know most board training does not give you the strategies to be effective in the board room. The Board Game gives you an unfair advantage. The Board Game equips you to not only get on and stay on a board, but how to become brilliant.

Because the board room is like a game - with multiple strategies, choices and characters - we have designed an immersive board environment involving real humans and real situations.

Working in three dimensions, the participants acquire both hard and soft skills so that when they enter the boardroom, they are ready to win.

Hard skills: find the red flags in the board papers; build technological, strategic, financial and risk acumen.

Soft skills: see hidden dynamics; decode body language; choose the right intervention.

Who The Board Game is for

The Board Game is an inclusive space for executives and non-executives already on, or aspiring to join, internal and/or external boards. It is for those who ask themselves:

  • How can I add value to the board?

  • How can I become credible in the board room?

  • How can I build my career?

  • How can I be a brilliant board member?

How The Board Game works

  • One day of immersive board room training to achieve Level 1

  • Once Level 1 is completed, participants will be invited to advance to Level 2 and Level 3

  • One free coaching session

  • 6 months’ free membership that includes curated services especially for board level professionals:

      1. Continuous education and insights

      2. Access to selected headhunters

      3. Ask me anything, scenario advice

      4. Introductions to venture capital resources

      5. A content library of articles, vlogs and podcasts

      6. Recommended therapists, coaches and mentors

      7. Peer network with other The Board Game participants

  • Certificate of attendance

Deep expertise

The Board Game is designed and led by two master practitioners from different but complementary fields: financial services and psychology.

Jenny Knott has run banks, won multiple awards and led innovation in technology.

Robert Rowland Smith is an Oxford Fellow, an award-winning author, and a leading figure in psychology.

Your investment

For an investment of £1,000 (plus VAT), you will experience your Level 1 immersion day plus 6 months’ membership including the full array of benefits listed above.

Once Level 1 is completed, participants will be invited to advance to Level 2 and Level 3.

Sign up

The next Level 1 Immersion Day runs in London on Friday 7th, February 2025. Sign up here.

FAQs

How is it different from other board room training?

Whereas most board room training is classroom based, The Board Game is immersive, making it highly experiential, not just theoretical.

What does ‘immersive’ mean?

The Board Game uses a technique that involves physically mapping out the dynamics in a board room so they can be experienced in three dimensions.

How do I know it’s for me?

The Board Game is for anyone wishing to up their game in the board room, providing a competitive edge in both confidence and competence.

Who else is on the programme?

A select but diverse and inclusive group of actual and/or aspiring board level professionals.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes, you will be awarded a certificate of attendance.

Where does it take place?

The next event is Level 1 on Friday 7th, February 2025 at a venue in central London.

Testimonials

‘I thoroughly enjoyed The Board Game and judging by the energy and the conversation in the room, it was a great success and incredibly insightful. One of my takeaways is that individuals will benefit from the content not only for external board positions, but also the internal board seats they hold, as well as for their leadership positions’.

‘I think you are onto something with this approach to Board NED/Exec readiness’.

‘Utterly fascinating, I have still so much to learn but recognise that both of your experience in combination with your energy and eloquence was really special, I was amazed at the ingenuity!’.