In these excerpts from our discussions centered around leadership and being an effective board chair, Patricia Russo, chair of HPE, and Bonnie Gwin, managing partner at Heidrick & Struggles, discuss what makes a good board chair: excellent listening skills, inclusivity, a collaborative mindset, and an awareness of board dynamics. They also discuss the ways in which they have worked to advance diversity on boards.

The qualities of a good board chair

Advancing diversity on boards

About the interviewer

Bonnie Gwin (bgwin@heidrick.com) is a vice chairman in Heidrick & Struggles’ New York office and a co-managing partner of the CEO & Board Practice.