Interviewing for Integrity
At a recent board workshop, we spent time unpacking how to approach a board interview, what to ask, what to listen for, and how to evaluate the culture you may be stepping into. The conversation surfaced an important theme: integrity. I wanted to spend a bit more time on this one topic and offer some practical strategies to help directors assess it before saying yes to a new seat.
Boards love to talk about integrity, but not all boards live it. When you interview for a seat, your job is not only to showcase your expertise but also to evaluate the board's character. Integrity shapes how directors make decisions, handle conflict, and steward the organization when no one is watching.
Here are some ways to test for it.
1. Ask: “What Does Integrity Look Like Here?”
This question reveals far more than you might expect.
Watch for answers grounded in behaviours, not slogans. Strong boards describe how they govern. Weak ones offer platitudes.
2. Explore How They Navigate Disagreement
Integrity shows up in conflict.
Ask about a recent tough decision or a moment when directors disagreed. You want real stories, not rehearsed harmony.
3. Probe Their Commitment to Transparency
“How do you communicate when things go wrong?”
Boards that deflect, spin, or minimize are a red flag.
Boards that own mistakes are a green flag.
4. Evaluate How They Talk About Stakeholders
Boards with integrity think long-term and speak respectfully about employees, communities, and partners.
Boards focused only on returns may have a narrow and risky ethical lens.
5. Ask About Board and Director Evaluations
No evaluation often means no accountability.
Evaluations with no resulting change point to performative governance.
6. Observe the Dynamics in the Room
This is your live integrity test. Ask for an opportunity to meet with several directors together in a group.
Who talks? Who listens? Does anyone dominate?
Psychological safety cannot be faked.
Red Flags in interviews…
Values statements instead of real examples
Gossip about former directors or CEOs
Evasive answers about past mistakes
Rubber-stamp culture marked by quick alignment
Chair or CEO controlling the conversation
Lack of transparency or accountability
Green Flags in interviews…
Honest admissions of past missteps
Respectful challenge and constructive debate
Clear governance processes and lived expectations
Directors who ask integrity questions of you
Genuine focus on long-term stewardship
Integrity is not a buzzword. It is the operating system of a healthy board. When it is strong, directors thrive. When it is missing, dysfunction fills the gaps. Ask the right questions, watch for the signals, and remember you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you.