Helle Bank Jørgensen unwraps a hard truth about today’s boardrooms. The comforting belief that waiting is responsible governance no longer holds. In conditions of accelerating disruption, delay itself becomes the risk.
At the centre of the problem is familiarity: “Familiarity creates a powerful illusion. It reassures boards that time is on their side.”
But time is precisely what boards no longer have. With shocks arriving simultaneously and unpredictably, like a pinball bouncing across the table, “by the time we have done all of that, we are actually too late.”
Like a pinball, the pressure comes from everywhere at once. As Helle notes, “everything is coming at us at the same time.” This makes it easy to focus on near-term issues while losing sight of what keeps a company viable as a going concern in disrupted times.
What is required is not more observation, but earlier action. Boards must sharpen their ability to detect change before it fully materialises: “You need to sense what is happening… and ensure that you are not surprised when things happen.”
Uncertainty does not dilute accountability.
“As a board member, I might not know everything, but I’m still responsible.”
This also reframes the role itself.
“It’s not about sitting on a board. Hopefully you don’t sit. Hopefully you serve.”
This is the huge challenge facing boardrooms now. Not lack of intelligence, but misplaced confidence in time.
They must confront and embrace the challenge, not try to deflect it.
Helle Bank Jørgensen
Helle Bank Jørgensen is one of the most influential voices shaping how leaders think about sustainability, risk, and corporate responsibility today. A long-time advisor to boards and CEOs, she challenges the idea that sustainability is a reporting exercise, arguing instead that it must sit at the heart of decision-making and risk management.
With decades of experience working across business, finance, and global standards, Helle helps leaders move beyond box-ticking to confront the systemic risks reshaping markets, trust, and long-term value.
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