"It might be very human, but it’s not very helpful."

I heard a good line on a podcast the other day: "It might be very human, but it’s not very helpful."

It made me think about sitting around a board table. Governance is full of moments where we need to make a choice—do we push for what we believe in, or do we sit back and listen? When do we challenge, and when do we let things go? When do we ask question and when do we make statements? When do we leave our ego at the door?

Being human means having instincts—to defend, to compete, to want to be heard. But effective governance requires more than instinct; it requires awareness. Awareness of when we’re falling into the curse of knowledge—assuming others have the same context we do. Awareness of our own assumptions and biases, and those of our fellow directors and executives. Awareness of when a strong stance is needed, and when collaboration and curiosity will lead to a better outcome. Because what feels natural in the moment—insisting, interrupting, assuming—might be very human, but it’s not always very helpful.

Have you ever caught yourself being human, but not helpful, in a boardroom conversation? How do you balance conviction with collaboration?