The Board’s New Role: Risk, Judgment, and Leadership

This Substack piece explores how risk has moved from a periodic oversight function to a central driver of strategy, reputation, and trust in today’s boardrooms.

Drawing on a recent Vanguard Network session with experienced board members, general counsels, and senior executives, Banta examines how governance is evolving in response to faster-moving, more interconnected risks. He highlights the growing importance of agility, cross-functional coordination, and early signal detection—particularly around reputation and public perception.

The article also addresses the board’s shifting posture: from final approver to active participant in risk dialogue, bringing judgment, perspective, and disciplined questioning to leadership decisions. With enterprise risk now inseparable from long-term value and credibility, Banta argues that board readiness has become a defining measure of modern leadership.

To read the full article on Substack, click here.

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The Vanguard Network is a leadership community and advisory platform that helps senior executives sharpen foresight, strengthen performance, and achieve impact. Through forums, exchanges, and programs, Vanguard convenes leaders across industries to share challenges and solutions in a confidential, collaborative setting.