Traitor or Faithful: what type of trustee are you?

The third season of the BBC’s hit gameshow concludes this week in what is set to be a nail-biting finale. 25 contestants have been whittled down to eight as the Traitors ‘murder’ Faithfuls each night and roundtables see Faithfuls attempt to identify and banish the Traitors (with limited success to date). The aim of the game is to rid the group of all Traitors by the final roundtable for the Faithfuls to win the prize fund; the presence of one Traitor in the group sees them take all the money.

The highlight of every episode (other than host and presenter Claudia Winkleman’s incredible outfits) is the roundtable. Traitors and Faithful alike air their grievances and suspicions of fellow contestants before Claudia calls a vote resulting in one person being banished from the game and revealing their true identity.

Now, the majority of pension trustee board meetings do not take place in a beautiful 19^th century castle in the Scottish Highlands (more’s the pity!) and thankfully the majority don’t end up in screaming matches and the banishment of other attendees, however, just how different is a trustee meeting to the Traitors’ roundtable?

Groupthink and unconscious bias

The first few episodes of every season are a prime example of ‘groupthink’ in action. Contestants know very little about one another, few are willing to single themselves out and instead opt to blend into the wider group. In doing so, they avoid speaking out against a decision or line of questioning they disagree with, favouring harmony and unity over proper interrogation or exploration of their own views. This was the downfall of season one’s Nicky (a Faithful), when one contestant suggested that her not toasting the unmasking of a Traitor meant she was one. Despite Nicky’s perfectly logical explanation (that she had only one hand and the glass was placed on the wrong side), the wind was behind the Traitor theory and Nicky received 17 of the 19 votes available for banishment.

The early stages of the game, when bonds have yet to form, are also a breeding ground for unconscious bias. Faithfuls, in particular, are required to make snapshot decisions on the reliability and truthfulness of fellow players. Season three’s Charlotte has attempted to play on this by adopting a fake Welsh accent which she believes makes her sound more trustworthy (it does, however, appear to be working so far!)

As each season progresses and the contestants get to know one another, individuals are much more confident to stand out from the group and advocate for their own opinions. This is, in most cases, true of trustee boards. Most boards have worked together for a considerable length of time and individual trustees feel confident to share their thoughts and opinions. However, trustee boards should be conscious of new trustees and create an environment where everyone’s opinions are heard, considered and evaluated. Trustee boards should also be wary of decisions being made ‘on the nod’ and encourage dissenting voices.

Conflicts of Interest

Fortunately, the Traitors aren’t subject to any statutory duties, or the General Code (it would rather spoil the game!) but trustees must monitor and manage conflicts of interest, such as, senior company officials negotiating a valuation on behalf the company and the trustees.

However, contestants and trustees alike should be aware of less obvious conflicts. In the season two finale, Mollie’s blind loyalty to Traitor Harry left her blinkered to his potential treachery and cost her a share of the prize pot.

Perhaps the General Code’s requirement for trustees to have a written policy for identifying, managing and mitigating conflicts of interest would also serve the Faithfuls well?

Claudia, the model Chair of Trustees

As chaos ensues at the roundtable, our iconically-fringed host and chair Claudia steps in. Ms Winkleman’s ability “to recognise each individual [trustee / Traitor / Faithful]’s potential, and ensure their knowledge and skills are used effectively” and to encourage contestants to “think strategically” are lifted straight from TPR’s General Code.

Perhaps red leather fingerless gloves should be the uniform of all chairs (I dare say a fair few could pull them off!)

So, most trustee board meetings do not resemble roundtables (thankfully!) and the debate of a pensions topic probably wouldn’t invoke the same emotion and passion as £120,000 in gold bars, but these themes resonate. Could that dissenting voice be onto something crucial? Has the board properly reviewed its register of interests recently? Would you look good in a dark green hooded cloak and accompanying lantern?

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