Good Old Boys, Company Leadership, & Stale Ideas

Take a look at the leadership boards of most organizations — nonprofits, chambers, advisory councils, even corporate boards — and you’ll start to notice a pattern. The same names. The same faces. The same recycled ideas.

It’s not just a small-town phenomenon. Even in major metropolitan areas, leadership circles often operate like exclusive clubs. A handful of people rotate through the same roles, patting each other on the back, reinforcing the same perspectives, and calling it “experience.” But what it really is — is stagnation.

This “good old boys” model of leadership isn’t just outdated — it’s actively harmful. When leadership appointments are based on friendships, legacy, or social standing rather than merit, creativity, or bold thinking, organizations suffer. Innovation dies in echo chambers. Risk-taking is replaced with risk-aversion. And the result? Companies that look, sound, and perform like every other mediocre player in their space.

The irony is that these leadership teams often pride themselves on “stability” and “proven leadership.” But stability without evolution is just inertia. Proven leadership without fresh perspective is just repetition. And repetition, in today’s world, is a recipe for irrelevance.

If we want organizations that actually lead — not just manage — we need to break the cycle. That means inviting in the disruptors. The challengers. The ones who don’t look like everyone else in the boardroom and don’t think like them either. The ones who ask uncomfortable questions. Who challenge sacred cows. Who aren’t afraid to say, “Why are we still doing it this way?”

Because the truth is, real progress doesn’t come from comfort. It comes from friction. From tension. From the collision of different perspectives. And that only happens when we stop recycling the same leadership DNA and start seeking out voices that haven’t been heard yet.

So here’s the challenge: If you’re building a leadership team, a board, or even just a project group — look beyond the usual suspects. Seek out the unexpected. The uninvited. The untraditional. That’s where the real value lives.

And if you’re already in one of those leadership circles? Ask yourself: Are you making space for new voices, or just preserving your seat at the table?