Four styles of chairman

What does it take to be a good Chairman?

CCG, the London based head hunters, attempted to find out.

It interviewed 48 chairmen – 28 of whom were from FTSE 100 companies – and 12 chief executives. It then sent questionnaires to more than 400 main board members of 151 large quoted UK companies and analysed replies from 117 individuals, including 36 of those interviewed.

Four distinct, preferred styles of chairmanship emerged:

• The facilitator chairman is hands-off, working with and through a chief executive. He (used for convenience – no gender preference is to be inferred, says CCG) has warm and open personal relationships with all board members. His style is trusting, supportive, sensitive, aware and purposeful. There is a balance between head and heart, between deliberately standing back to see the wider prospective and involvement with people, issues and vision. This style was most popular, favoured by 32 per cent of respondents.

• The thinker works through a chief executive but has no doubt about his own power and is likely to get his way on the business issues. He can be a formidable combination with a chief executive, provided both agree on fundamentals. Although he is trusted, relationships will be more distant and based on respect, with a recognition of private agendas. His penetrating understanding of the issues and the people is likely to be accompanied by strongly held (but not always disclosed) views. Favoured by 25 per cent.

• The drinker is likely to dominate by force of personality. There is a variety in the importance, closeness and style of his relationships, which are not always consistent but are not difficult to read. There is less emphasis on sophisticated analysis, or on the communication of a vision, and more on strategy, action and results. He requires total loyalty and commitment, both to himself and the company. He is unquestionably the boss; anyone carrying the title of chief executive will be at best a number two or a chief operating officer. Favoured by 23 per cent of respondents, though not much liked by chief executives.

• The integrator is talented at winning both hearts and minds. He is intellectually brilliant, with a flair for communication and relationships. His style is open, trusting empathic and empowering. He has strong strategic and analytical skills, is able to see the big picture and is immersed in the business. He is more interested in the strategy than operations and would work best sharing leadership with a chief executive who complements his qualities. Preferred by 20 per cent or respondents, but most popular among non-executive directors.