My governance playlist – Angus Swainson

Angus Swainson

Angus Swainson MInstD is a certified community director based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, with governance expertise across media and entertainment (both as a board member and shareholder), the creative arts, the commercialisation of science and commercial relationships, people and culture, and operational excellence.

Now on his way to becoming an IoD Chartered Member, he sits on two not-for-profit boards – Mixit Charitable Trust, which supports refugee youth in Aotearoa New Zealand to build resilience, capacity and connection through the arts, and Green Bay High School Board of Trustees. He has previously served on the Land Search and Rescue NZ Inc. board. 

A consultant and co-founder of 2bh Consulting, he supports boards, executive teams, senior leaders and emerging leaders to develop and sustain high-performance cultures, facilitates strategy work and supports change progrocess.

This week, he shares a book that illuminates why shared purpose and beliefs, a sense of belonging and remaining present – while acknowledging the ‘long arc of legacy and its intergenerational purpose’ – are integral for directors.

What is the name of the governance or business book (or other media) that inspires your thinking as a director?

I’m always on the lookout for authors who see the world a little differently – those who put people at the heart of good business. My favourite recent read in that category is Belonging by Owen Eastwood.

Eastwood weaves high-performance coaching with relatable, human stories about how teams thrive (and how they falter). He explores the power of difference, the unity created by shared purpose and the selflessness required to invest in legacy. Underpinning it all is intergenerational indigenous thinking, including the influence of his Māori heritage and the storytelling traditions of te ao Māori.

The book’s subtitle, The Ancient Code of Togetherness, captures its essence. Eastwood argues that the deep connections within a group – its whakapapa, its identity, its shared story – are what unleash high performance. For boards, the three tenets he highlights are particularly resonant: resilience, adaptability and selflessness.

How would you describe the style of writing?

Eastwood writes the way a great storyteller speaks. He takes potentially complex ideas – leadership, connection, neurobiology – and translates them into accessible stories. His tone is conversational, authentic and grounded, and his examples stretch comfortably from elite sport to the boardroom.

For those who want to go deeper, the book includes extensive, credible references. In my case, it led me to Behave by Robert Sapolsky, a dense but brilliant exploration of human behaviour and neurobiology – another reminder that Eastwood writes from a place of deep research and a wealth of experience.

What drew you to the book and what resonated the most?

Leadership books often focus on visible skills – the things ‘above the waterline’. These skills matter, but too often they drift towards management rather than true leadership.

Eastwood’s work focuses on the emotional, psychological and biological drivers of behaviour – the world ‘below the waterline’. He offers thoughtful explanations of motivations, fears, aspirations and needs and the neurobiology underpinning them.

For boards, this understanding is essential. When directors can truly see the humans around the table – and understand what is shaping their responses – they’re more able to foster respectful, robust debate. And that leads to better decisions.

What have you taken away from this book that continues to influence your board roles?

There are lessons for leaders and directors at every stage, particularly around shared purpose, shared beliefs, a sense of belonging and the importance of forming a collective identity. In board roles, what stands out most for me is the dual time horizon directors must hold. Boards need to be acutely present – alert to what is unfolding in the organisation and its operating environment, attentive to the people in the room, the stakeholders and staff outside the room, and sensitive to whether shared beliefs and behavioural codes are being lived.

At the same time, directors must stay connected to the organisation’s whakapapa, its long arc of legacy and its intergenerational purpose. Eastwood notes that when we inherit a legacy, we extract meaning from it, and that our actions become an expression of identity and the foundation for the legacy we then pass on. This insight has shaped the way I reflect on meetings, prompting me to ask how I have contributed to our shared purpose, how I have supported legacy creation, how I have added value, and how well I have modelled our agreed behaviours.

How does reading or listening to podcasts feed your practice?

Different mediums engage the mind in different ways. I am a reader. Studying law in the 1990s meant spending long hours reading full judgments without shortcuts or AI assistance, and it taught me to read quickly and reflect deeply. Reading remains a contemplative practice, one that sharpens my critical thinking and supports the way I engage with board papers.

I also enjoy podcasts, even though I often pause them to write notes in my notebook. Listening offers something unique – the ability to hear tone, emotion and authenticity in ways the written word sometimes can’t convey. Podcasts also provide timely insights into industries, trends and emerging issues. The challenge is navigating the sheer volume of content, so I rely on recommendations from trusted people and tend to choose documentary-style or reputable sources over algorithm-driven suggestions.

When you’re not reading about governance, what kind of books do you enjoy?

I’m especially drawn to books that delve into human psychology and explore complex behaviours and characters. Because my work revolves around human dynamics, reading fiction that explores emotional nuance feels like a natural extension of my professional interests.

I’m also a student of neurobiology and organisational behaviour, and I usually have at least one book in that area stacked alongside my fiction reads.

What governance issues are top of mind for you, and why?

While the world is understandably focused on the potential and risks of AI, my attention keeps returning to the human dimension. Technology – and in particular social media – have fundamentally reshaped communication, identity and belonging. The geopolitical and social fractures we’re seeing – often amplified algorithmically – are creating unhealthy tribal dynamics that can influence organisations in subtle but significant ways.

It’s somewhat ironic to be reflecting on this in the context of a book celebrating the power of belonging, because belonging can be misdirected. When group identity is exploited or used to create ‘otherness’, it becomes harmful. This is why Eastwood’s emphasis on resilience, adaptability and selflessness feels so important. Directors serve the organisation, not themselves, and the best service comes from keeping people at the centre of our thinking and understanding the forces shaping the world they move through.

What has surprised you most about yourself – and others – while serving on boards?

I am often surprised by how small or seemingly unrelated pieces of my past experience suddenly become useful. I find it rewarding to work with people who are intelligent, kind, resourceful and deeply experienced in their fields. I enjoy spotting patterns and connections that help the board see issues in new ways.

What I enjoy most, though, is seeing what happens when boards invest time in truly understanding the organisation, the people and each other. When a group builds trust, asks courageous questions, acknowledges uncertainty and puts aside assumptions, the quality of work becomes extraordinary.

What would you like to see more of at the board table –and why?

I would like to see more connection. Boards that invest in real human connection – time together, understanding each other’s stories, building rapport – consistently perform better. When directors feel comfortable with one another, psychological safety increases and the quality of debate improves. Without that foundation, mistrust and defensiveness can take root.

Social time together is not indulgent; it is an important investment in the relational fabric that enables directors to speak openly, acknowledge what they don’t know, seek help when needed, offer support with genuine care, and focus collectively on the organisation’s best interests.

If you have a book, podcast, or other media in mind that you would like to review please contact sonia.yee@iod.org.nz