A few years ago, running a new board member induction, a newly appointed director prefaced a question to me with the 5 wonderful words “This might sound stupid, but . . .”

I answered her (anything but stupid) question and then asked everyone to write the 5 words down with a promise that they socialise them in their respective boards as permission to ask ANY question.

As a new board members (and sometimes an an experienced one) who among us has not worried about looking foolish among colleagues by asking what a particular abbreviation means or looking for an answer to a question (warning ourselves that any competent director on this board would already know)?

Anytime I have introduced this approach, it has taken at most 10 minutes before someone uses the magic words and asks a question at least 2 others are still struggling to ask (usually accompanied by some laughter).

Try it. It works a treat.