Based on my experiences (formerly did activist investing for 8+ years) there's a lot more pragmatism for all parties involved.
Activist don't just suddenly show up and get board seats. There's usually an ongoing issue/debate that management teams/boards are dealing with behind the scenes long before an activist is actively pushing for board seats.
Also keep in mind, even if an activist ("easily") gets a board seat, there's still an extraordinary amount of work to be done. It's easy being a board member when times are great, but being on the board of a company undergoing a turnaround is a completely different experience.
Activist don't just suddenly show up and get board seats. There's usually an ongoing issue/debate that management teams/boards are dealing with behind the scenes long before an activist is actively pushing for board seats.
Also keep in mind, even if an activist ("easily") gets a board seat, there's still an extraordinary amount of work to be done. It's easy being a board member when times are great, but being on the board of a company undergoing a turnaround is a completely different experience.