In today’s era of relentless change, boards must not merely survive but evolve. That was the compelling message of the latest Atlas Leadership Series webinar, Leading Through Disruption for Boards, hosted by Abby Weeks, Demand Generation Manager at OnBoard.
Joining her was Tony Brennan, a seasoned board director, strategist, and innovation leader with a global lens and an eye for ethical governance. This webinar offered a deep dive into how boards can remain resilient, innovative, and proactive amidst the swirl of technological, geopolitical, and societal shifts.
The Core Message: Curiosity Over Certainty
Tony opened the session with a powerful analogy from his youth — a near-death experience while climbing a Himalayan peak. The lesson? Success does not lie in being the most prepared, but in adapting quickly when circumstances change. This theme of agile adaptation underpinned the entire webinar.
“Leadership today is not about certainty,” Tony declared. “It’s about clarity in an ever-changing environment.” For boards navigating disruption, the key is not having all the answers but asking the right questions and staying curious.
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Disruption: A Permanent State
Tony characterised the current global landscape as one of perma-crisis. From AI to cyber risk, boards are facing multiple vectors of disruption simultaneously. According to a live poll during the session, half of attendees cited geopolitical and economic volatility as their top concern, followed by AI and emerging technology (22%) and cybersecurity (17%).
The boardroom, he suggested, must operate with a dual lens: vigilant to external threats while nimble enough to pivot strategically.
Innovation: From Workshop to DNA
One of the key insights Tony shared was that innovation is no longer a competitive advantage — it’s a survival skill. He challenged attendees to think beyond viewing innovation as the domain of a single department or an annual workshop.
“Innovation must be embedded in the organisational DNA,” he said. “It should be part of the culture — a mindset where ideas can emerge from anyone and anywhere.”
He urged boards to:
- Reward execution over outcome
- Build frameworks that allow safe experimentation
- Foster an environment where failure is seen as a step towards success
Tony offered a powerful reminder: “If you’re not disrupting your business model, someone else is — and they don’t need funding, degrees, or traditional credentials anymore.”
5 Boardroom Questions on Innovation
To prompt action, Tony posed 5 critical questions boards should be asking:
- What barriers to innovation exist in our organisation?
- How are we supporting calculated risk-taking?
- When was the last time we invited an external disruptor to brief the board?
- Are we investing in experimentation or just proven outcomes?
- How do we respond and learn from failed innovations?
AI: Strategic, Not Optional
The session moved into governance in the age of artificial intelligence. Tony stressed that AI is not just a tool — it’s becoming embedded into the fabric of how organisations operate.
But with opportunity comes risk. He identified 3 major threats:
- Shadow AI: Unofficial use of AI tools like ChatGPT and Notion AI by staff without oversight
- Vendor risks: AI tools being embedded into third-party services without clarity on their operation
- Governance lag: Boards not having frameworks in place to ensure responsible AI use
Interestingly, only 30% of webinar attendees said their boards had a formal or developing AI governance framework, highlighting the urgency for change.
Tony’s advice: “You don’t need to be a data scientist to govern AI. You just need to ask the right questions.”
5 AI Governance Questions
Boards should start by asking:
- What AI tools are being used (officially or unofficially)?
- Do we have a governance framework, and who owns it?
- How does AI use align with our values and legal obligations?
- Are we training our teams to use AI ethically and effectively?
- How do we audit and explain AI-influenced decisions?
Cybersecurity: Now a Director's Duty
Cyber risk has shifted from being a technical detail to a core governance concern. Tony outlined Australia’s newly enacted Cyber Security Act, which mandates:
- Mandatory reporting for organisations with turnover over AUD $3M
- 72-hour disclosure for cyber incidents involving ransomware payments
- Demonstrable oversight by directors
For boards, this means ignorance is no longer a defensible position. Directors must now demonstrate reasonable stepshave been taken to prevent and mitigate cyber threats — much like WHS and financial governance obligations.
Only 23% of webinar attendees felt very confident their board could effectively respond to a cyber incident — a sobering figure.
5 Cybersecurity Questions for Boards
- Do we have a tested cyber incident response plan (including ransomware)?
- Are cyber risk updates presented in plain English and regularly reviewed?
- Do we understand and comply with legal obligations under the new act?
- Do we have the right mix of cyber literacy on our board?
- Have we reviewed or rehearsed our cyber response plan in the last 12 months?
The Ostrich, the Lion, or Something Else?
Tony’s memorable metaphor — “Is your organisation an ostrich or a lion?” — encapsulated the session’s spirit. The ostrich buries its head, ignoring change. The lion embraces disruption. But most organisations, he noted, are in a third state: aware of disruption but unsure how to act.
This webinar was about moving from paralysis to purpose.
Fireside Reflections: Practical Steps Forward
In the Q&A, Tony offered 3 concrete actions boards can take now:
- Scenario Planning: Regularly run ‘what-if’ scenarios around AI, cyber, and economic volatility.
- Update the Skills Matrix: Include expertise in digital ethics, cyber security, and innovation.
- Conduct a Future Readiness Health Check: Audit digital maturity, supply chain resilience, and workforce flexibility.
He also shared an unconventional success story — creating a guaranteed job placement programme in Uganda by flipping the traditional education model. “We simply asked employers what they needed and delivered it,” he said. “Unorthodox, but effective.”
Governance with Courage
In his closing remarks, Tony reminded attendees: “Our job as directors is not to guarantee stability. It’s to lead through ambiguity.”
By fostering cultures of learning, embracing calculated risk, and treating AI and cyber as strategic issues, boards can lead with courage and clarity.
As the world continues to shift at breakneck speed, the organisations that will thrive are those whose boards lead with curiosity, agility, and bold vision.
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About The Author
- Adam Wire is a Content Marketing Manager at OnBoard who joined the company in 2021. A Ball State University graduate, Adam worked in various content marketing roles at Angi, USA Football, and Adult & Child Health following a 12-year career in newspapers. His favorite part of the job is problem-solving and helping teammates achieve their goals. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife and two dogs. He’s an avid sports fan and foodie who also enjoys lawn and yard work and running.
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