There’s little question that today’s harsh and divisive public discourse can often extend itself to the corporate boardroom. There’s also little question that such divisiveness can impede effective governance. And there should be very little question that the general counsel is well positioned to provide advice on respectful and productive boardroom discourse.

Recent perspectives on the electorate acknowledge an increasing, disturbing level of polarization along ideological lines. It’s a perspective that seems to extend to how people generally engage with one another; i.e., with increasing levels of abrasiveness and argumentiveness. The election campaigns and the accompanying level of vitriol will likely exacerbate it all.