Thank you to the 1,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 questions! I hope reading

7 Questions with Susan Harnett

helps you in your leadership.



Jonno White

7 Questions with Susan Harnett

Name: Susan Harnett

Current title: Board Member

Current organisation: OFG Bancorp and Life Storage

Global Leader, Board Member and Start-up Enthusiast. Financial Services Career. Founder of Two Start-ups. Currently serves on two publicly traded boards....


1. What have you found most challenging as a board member?

Creating a sense of urgency

2. How did you become a board member? Can you please briefly tell the story?

Everyone in my network is aware I am interested in board work. Also, connected to several board organizations and HeadHunters.


Coffee, Work Out, Networking, Calls and Reading and review upcoming meeting schedules.

4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

Be a good mentor. Make sure others realize that your primary objective is to make them successful.

5. What are some of the keys to doing governance well in a organisation?

Establishing the understanding that good governance is a mandate for all successful boards, while creating a delineation between what is needed and excessive bureaucracy.

6. How do you differentiate between the role of board member and the roles of CEO or executive team member of a organisation?

The CEO and the Exec Team are the operators, responsible for running the company. The board is to help establish strategy, performance metrics, mentor the CEO and ensure succession planning is robust.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a board member so far?

I was on a board that decided to sell the firm. Going through a strategic review to truly understand where you are and then managing the M&A process at the board level was a fantastic experience.