Get on Board
Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat
About Book
Get on Board: Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat is a practical beginner’s guide for anyone considering becoming a director, from young professionals seeking corporate board service in the distant future to seasoned professionals contemplating an imminent career change.
This book demystifies the process, breaks down the steps, and answers the most common questions about corporate board service. It also provides examples of successful corporate director biographies and resumes. Finally, it shares actionable strategies and worksheets to help identify your unique value proposition, elevate your profile, and refine your networking strategy.
You can use all of this information to start your corporate board journey today. After reading this book, you will be convinced that corporate board service is within your reach-and will be ready to pursue it actively!
Starting the Journey
Determining if Board Service is Right For You
Networking onto a Corporate Board
Raising Your Profile to Get Board-Ready
Learning Along the Way
All [A]Board: Insights and Inspirations for Your Journey to and in the Boardroom
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How to Be Board Ready
Women Serve on Boards has created four to help you become “board-ready.” Each worksheet will help those looking to obtain a board position determine where their interests and passions lie as well as the type of entity that would be the best fit (public, private, non-profit). These resources are meant to guide individuals through the pre-board process. These tools and framework can refine individuals’ perspectives and successfully transform them from industry experts to a board-ready thought leaders.
The first worksheet centers around identifying the appropriate opportunity. The questions help familiarize individuals with some of the basics, including the various types of boards, responsibilities of being a director, and the risks of board service.
The second worksheet, the board profile and competency matrix, provides an in-depth assessment for individuals to reflect on their skills and the value that they could add. This worksheet assists individuals as they begin to lay the foundation for becoming a viable candidate.
The third worksheet encourages candidates to develop a networking plan that includes contact information for each individual, along with how you met, and the last time you interacted with them. This worksheet will help individuals prioritize their efforts for effective outreach and provide an intentional roadmap for fostering beneficial relationships with one’s extended network.
The fourth worksheet adds the final touch to being board-ready. It assists individuals with creating their personal brand and becoming a thought leader. By joining, shaping, and driving the conversation, one can become key participants in their industry.
All [A]board
Women Serve on Boards has released All [A]Board: Insights and Inspirations for Your Journey to and in the Boardroom in collaboration with Farella, Braun + Martel LLP. Olga Mack and Carly O’Halloran Alameda share their findings about the richness of board opportunities, the skills lawyers can bring to the board, the process for joining a board, and real life stories about lawyers serving on boards.
The book is broken down into the following sections:
(1) Pursuing a seat at the table: This section includes information on various corporate board opportunities and strategies for pursuing a board position.
(2) Bringing value to the boardroom: This section includes insights on various substantive matters impacting board performance, including the board’s role with cybersecurity and company strategy, and ideas for diversifying the boardroom.
(3) Inspiration from the boardroom: This section includes interviews of people who have successfully navigated the boardroom, who share their insights and experiences regarding their various boards, including corporate boards, non-profit boards, and family boards of advisors.