Ralph Ward - Board-Seeker: Your Guidebook and Career Map into the Corporate Boardroom

Board-Seeker

Board-Seeker

Your Guidebook and Career Map into the Corporate Boardroom

Ralph Ward

Board-Seeker: Your Guidebook and Career Map into the Corporate Boardroom

Copyright Business Expert Press, LLC, 2018.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations, not to exceed 250 words, without the prior permission of the publisher.

As part of the Business Law and Corporate Risk Management Collection, this book discusses general principles of law for the benefit of the public through education only. This book does not undertake to give individual legal advice. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship with the author(s). The discussions of legal frameworks and legal issues is not intended to persuade readers to adopt general solutions to general problems, but rather simply to inform readers about the issues. Readers should not rely on the contents herein as a substitute for legal counsel. For specific advice about legal issues facing you, consult with a licensed attorney.

First published in 2018 by

Business Expert Press, LLC

222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017

www.businessexpertpress.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-94858-085-4 (paperback)

ISBN-13: 978-1-94858-086-1 (e-book)

Business Expert Press Business Law and Corporate Risk Management Collection

Collection ISSN: 2333-6722 (print)

Collection ISSN: 2333-6730 (electronic)

Cover and interior design by S4Carlisle Publishing Services

Private Ltd., Chennai, India

First edition: 2018

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in the United States of America.

Advanced Quotes for Board-Seeker

If your bulls eye is to land a board seat, this book has all the arrows in one quiver! Its loaded with advice, practical steps to take, and wisdom from those who have succeeded. Its a highly readable set of ideas that can make your board pursuit both effective and smart.

Donna Hamlin,
CEO, BoardWise
BoardWise.biz

Ralph Ward has pulled together all of his experience and wisdom to help executives make the leap to board service. Finally a true guidebook full of detailed, actionable steps for getting onto a board, including examples and templates. Ralph also includes up-to-date advice on digital engagement and how to manage your social media to best present yourself for opportunities. Follow his comprehensive advice, including a tailored board bio, talking points, how to research the existing board and company, and how to make connections with people who have board access, and you will land a board seat.

Betsy Atkins
Board member, Wynn Resorts, Volvo Cars Group, Founder, Baja LLC

Not everyone can be a member of a corporate boardone of the most coveted spots in business. Reading this book will win you a seat at the corporate table.

Jeffrey Hayzlett
President, C-Suite Network, Primetime TV & Podcast Host,
Speaker, Author and Part-Time Cowboy

Abstract

There is a magic moment in the career trajectory of business leaders. Perhaps theyre executives whove made it to the C- or VP level and built strong operational and P&L success. They may have built a startup into a strong company. Their network includes CEOs and venture capital people, and theyre on the radar of top headhunters. These rising stars look to the next step on their career paths, and the thought strikesI could join a board of directors.

This is a real, achievable goal for these business leaders, but they quickly realize how little they really know about the boardroom. They dont know how board searches actually happen. They doubt their own boardability, much less how to sell themselves for it. Despite the savvy theyve accumulated in their careers, they discover the path and tools needed for a successful board wannabe are beyond them.

Board-Seeker: Your Guidebook and Career Map into the Corporate Boardroom will change that. This is the first practical guide written specifically to help board-ready leaders and executives gain the knowledge, resources, and confidence to shape their successful personal onboarding program. Assess the experience youve gained that makes you valuable to a board (theres more than you think). Shape this into a powerful outreach portfolio, including a board resume, online image, and personal pitch. Gain the allies and mentors youll need (especially your boss), and build a targeted board network. Learn step by step how board searches really happen and how to master each stage. Prepare for the board interview and vetting process, and get ready for your first board meeting.

With leads, links, checklists, and first-hand success stories, Board-Seeker spells out each step youll take into the boardroomand beyond.

Keywords

boardroom, boards of directors, career, career coaching, careers, C-level, corporate boards, corporate governance, executive, governance

Contents

Once again, for the marvellous Marianne.

I call it the Magic Moment. It arrives at some point in every highly successful business career. Maybe its gaining your first C-level executive position, when youve either achieved it, or its in sight. Youre running a division and built solid P&L success. Youve built a startup into a real company, maybe even done it several times. You and your firm have invested in enough ventures to build a good idea of what works and doesnt. Youve accumulated a few decades of career achievement, and now wonder what new challenges (and opportunities) post-retirement life could offer.

These are a few of the career profiles Ive encountered in the past few years. Many different paths; men, women, job titles, nationalities, but all shared that one Magic Moment. A light bulb went off over the head of each achiever, and the thought occurred I could join a board of directors.

Its breathtaking and audacious, really. We spent most of our careers viewing The Board as a mighty, Oz-like entity to be feared and supplicated. As we climbed the corporate ladder, shaped our own companies, drew closer to power, we pulled back the curtain a bit. We sat in on board meetings, briefed directors, served on committees with them. We saw board members as not only smart, committed people, but also just as frail at the rest of us. Furthermore, we realized we often knew more on the specifics of things than those boardroom solons did. And thats the moment the light bulb sparks to life.

At this point your board-wannabe interest may remain only thata spark. Despite the business seasoning youve accumulated (and despite much hard-earned career savvy), you realize that the boardroom world involves many unanswered questions. What do you need to know? What makes someone more (or less) boardable? Biggest unknown of allhow does it actually happen? Just how are board prospects identified, vetted, and actually selected?

For starters, not very logically. The hiring and promotion of management at the top of a major company by definition is based on focusing talent needs to the narrowest of points. There are only so many C level positions, and any company will obsess over finding the top talent, the best fit, and the greatest leadership potential. Grooming internal candidates, setting up a succession horse race, nurturing skills, and recruiting (and retaining) high-potentials are crucial tasks for any executive team.