A winning mix

Every editor likes to bring in fresh voices to the pages of their publication. But every editor also has their “go to” authors — those who are known for their expertise in the subject matter and have written dependably for the editor before. I typically have both in every edition of Directors & Boards, and this issue especially so.

Susan Stautberg, co-founder of WomenCorporateDirectors, is one of my trusty experts when I am looking for guidance to offer our readers on “how to get on a board.” I put that phrase in quote marks because it is one of our most compelling topics, and it has started out yet again to be just that in 2015. Maybe it has something to do with a new year bringing new ambitions (and new resolutions). But in the first several months of 2015 I have been the recipient of numerous expressions of interest — along with accompanying CVs — by old colleagues and new acquaintances who have their sights set on gaining a board seat.

So who better to turn to for “getting on a board” advice than a trusty boardroom veteran like Susan, especially when she has just come out with a new book that is chock full of important insights and counsel. Written with co-author Nancy Calderon, their book is titled Women on Board: Insider Secrets to Getting on a Board and Succeeding as a Director. You will find an excerpt on page 64. (I always look for a distinctive piece of editorial to close out each issue — my Endnote — and this passage from their book is just that.) 

It is only right that I use this Editor's Note to offer up a few “getting on a board” tips, too. The following are actually Susan and Nancy's; I did not have space in their article for them and they are too sound not to share. Their suggestions fit in well with the cover story, which explores an early-stage trend that promises to be quite consequential: the recruitment of younger executives to boards — much younger than is the norm. (And here again I turned to a few “go to” authors — Edie Weiner, Dennis Cagan, Alex Schmelkin — to explore the ramifications of this trend.) Susan and Nancy have these five tips for “finding your voice” as a new director:

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• Be authentic.

• Find out why you were selected for the board so you can deliver on that value proposition.

• Don't sell yourself short. Remember, you have the skills and knowledge that have earned you the right to be at the table.

• Be a good listener and observer. Use the first few board meetings to get the “tempo” of the board and the measure of each individual director's strengths.

• On the other hand, have the courage of your convictions. As a director, you are obligated to discuss different points of view to help move the board forward together to reach effective decisions.

I anticipate that you will enjoy and get great value from the wisdom of the “old hands” along with the “new voices” — Dan DiMicco, Montieth Illingworth, Kim Van Der Zon, and others — that we brought into this issue to explore board leadership. It is a winning mix.

About the Author(s)

Jim Kristie

Jim Kristie is the former editor-in-chief of Directors & Boards.


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