Confidence isn’t capability: why director development matters

Being a director today requires far more than a well-honed CV and a solid track record. Governance is shifting under our feet – shaped by accelerating technology, tightening regulatory expectations, rising stakeholder scrutiny and a world where the pace of disruption routinely outstrips the pace of learning.

And yet, in this environment of steepening complexity, too many boards still treat professional development as optional, episodic, or something to prioritise only when gaps become visible.

We know that capability is a critical performance lever, but the reality remains: directors remain time poor, recruitment pools draw from uneven experience bases and structured development doesn’t always keep up with emerging risks.

In the 2025 Director Sentiment Survey, fewer than half of directors felt confident their board had the right skills and experience to navigate increasing business complexity, and only 47.9% said their board supported a culture of continuous learning. That disconnect between what the environment demands and what capability systems deliver is becoming harder for boards to ignore.

This gap often begins well before someone takes their first seat at the table. In my recent Master of Professional Practice research, 68% of directors said they learned governance primarily through experience – not training – and nearly half were shoulder-tapped into their first board role.

Many arrived prepared for leadership, but not necessarily for governance – a subtle but significant distinction. Several directors noted that governance can initially seem similar to leadership roles they have held before, but the moment they stepped into the boardroom they realised the perspective, accountability and time horizon are completely different.

Once in the role, directors said their development was more self-directed than supported. Directors overwhelmingly recognised the value of learning, with 67% saying governance education would improve governance quality, especially by strengthening understanding of duties, ethics, board culture and best-practice decision-making – areas where experience alone often falls short.

Those insights align with the international picture. The Global Network of Director Institutes’ recent Governing in the age of disruption reports on climate change and AI showed directors consistently reporting low confidence in their ability to oversee fast-moving areas such as artificial intelligence, climate transition, cybersecurity and digital ethics.

Globally, many boards continue to rely heavily on management or external advisors to navigate these issues, rather than building their own literacy. That reliance isn’t inherently a problem – external expertise can be invaluable – but it does highlight a widening gap between the complexity boards face and the capability they feel they have.

The 2025 Director Sentiment Survey reflects this same pattern. While only 17% of directors say their board regularly uses an advisory board, just over half (51.2%) use them at least sometimes. Yet, even with this external support, only 46% of boards regularly undertake professional development.

Advisory structures and expert advice can strengthen oversight, but they cannot replace directors developing the knowledge and confidence needed to interrogate assumptions, interpret risk and exercise independent judgement. In a disrupted environment, boards need both: high-quality advice and the internal capability to use it well.

All of this reinforces a simple truth: capability cannot be left to chance. Governance is a professional skill set and, like any profession, it demands deliberate, ongoing development.

That is why the IoD has published its new Professional Development quick guide – a short, practical resource to help directors step back, take stock of their skills, and treat their learning as part of their governance discipline rather than an optional extra.

At its core, the guide reinforces a simple principle: effective directors are curious, self-aware and committed to continuous learning. It encourages thoughtful reflection on where directors add value, where they may need to grow, and how development can be integrated into governance life in practical, achievable ways.

Ultimately, the guide is designed to be a prompt – a way for directors to pause, take stock and ensure their capability is keeping pace with the demands of the role. It’s not about prescribing a pathway, but encouraging a mindset: development should be intentional, continuous and closely connected to the challenges directors face today.

Boards that invest in capability lift performance. They govern with greater confidence, interrogate advice more effectively, make better long-term decisions and create cultures where learning is valued rather than treated as a remedial exercise. In an environment where risk categories are expanding, expectations are rising and complexity is increasing, that investment is no longer optional.

Directorship is a privilege, but it is also a practice. And like any practice, its effectiveness depends on how deliberately we sharpen our skills. The quick guide is not the destination – it is the catalyst. A prompt for boards and directors to ask: Are we equipped for what’s coming? And if not, what are we prepared to do about it?

Continuous learning isn’t an obligation – it’s one of the most powerful tools a board has to shape its future.