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The authors’ research examines new models for leadership flexibility recommended by CEOs and board members, including an underutilized resource that CEOs can turn to for help—the corporate board. The board chairs and directors they interviewed expressed a desire to contribute more value and be more involved in high-level strategy and discussions. When boards evolve to become a more strategic asset, CEOs enhance communication with board members and are more focused and effective in their interactions with them. Increasingly, CEOs are realizing that to make the board a strategic asset—a “smart board” and not just a sounding board—they must take the initiative and cultivate these relationships. One consistent theme runs through the authors’ research: board members do not like to be surprised. To lower the risk of surprises, it is usually better to err on the side of more communication with the board, rather than less. Reaching outside the organization to bring boards together can also be a powerful tool in creating tactical synergy and fresh new perspectives. The more deeply the CEO understands each board member’s personality and experience, the better the interactions with the board will be. By influencing what happens between board meetings, CEOs have the opportunity to curate and even co-create a better board experience.