Radical Honesty in the Boardroom

I don’t join boards to make friends—I join to make impact. When I sit at a table with other executives, I bring something most aren’t used to: radical honesty. Not cruelty. Not ego. But the kind of truth that cuts through posturing, politics, and wishful thinking. Because I’ve learned that organizations don’t fail from a lack of intelligence—they fail from a lack of candor.

Too often, boardrooms become echo chambers—filled with people who are more interested in maintaining harmony than driving clarity. But when I’m invited in, I assume it’s because you want the truth. And the truth is rarely convenient. It often challenges sacred cows, exposes comfortable lies, and puts pressure on legacy systems that no longer serve. But it also unlocks the clarity needed to grow, adapt, and lead.

If my presence makes people uncomfortable, that’s not an accident—it’s a feature. Comfort rarely breeds transformation. I’ll be polite, always. But I won’t soften the truth to protect someone’s ego at the expense of the mission. The stakes are too high. I don’t do performance governance—I do purpose-driven leadership. And if we’re not ready to face hard truths, we’re not ready to lead.