☕️ Board roles - 7 steps to land a NED position - issue 4

Hello! 

I hope you had a great weekend. I often get asked about how to land a non-executive Director role. Especially when a lot of those roles can require previous NED experience - the classic "what came first, the chicken or the egg?" problem!

This crucial topic has cropped up several times recently. So I thought it'd be a helpful focus for today's newsletter.

The topic came up last week when Sarah sent in her question about how experienced one needs to be to get onto a Board.

I shared my detailed advice during my career guidance recording on Friday, where Matt Kummell (serial Board member) made a surprise guest appearance, sharing his experiences & tips. Note - you can enjoy a collection of discussions with senior leaders by creating a free onupbeyond login here.

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Dispelling myths.

I then kicked off this week, recording a fascinating discussion with Mcklein.

Mcklein is truly inspiring - the first person in his family to embark on a corporate career. Moreover, Mcklein has already served on 8 Boards - in paid NED roles - despite still being under the age of 40. 

We talked about the common perception that Board roles are out of reach until the latter stages of one's career. Mcklein has developed a 7-step playbook for landing Board roles, and his success proves that:

1. You don't need to have been a NED before to get your first paid NED role.

2. You can land Board roles at a far earlier stage of your career than you might think.

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A career accelerant.

A portfolio of Board positions is often a semi-retirement plan. Something to aspire to in your 60s, perhaps.

Not only does it not have to be that way, but a Board position will actually enhance your full-time career.

Mcklein has intentionally built a portfolio career based on a handful of cornerstone Board positions, alongside some independent advisory work.

However, research shows that holding a Board seat alongside a permanent job is proven to accelerate your career. In fact, when compared to peers, those with a Board seat on their CV enjoy a:

• 44% greater likelihood of early promotion &

• 13% higher average salary.

Beyond the progression & compensation benefits, Mcklein points to the broadening of experience and network as huge advantages. 

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7 steps on how to land your first role.

~90% of Board positions go unadvertised. And of the 10% that are advertised, very, very few have a headhunter working on them, as the fee levels just don't make sense for all but the most senior large-company appointments.

So, you are extremely unlikely to "get a call out of the blue" about a Board position.

That is - in fact - a blessing. You don't need to rely on anyone else but yourself to make this happen.

Instead, there are 7 steps you can progress through under your own steam:

1. REALLY understand how Boards work. 

To be credible when it comes to an interview, you need to be secure in this knowledge. How they operate and how they select new members, including what evaluation criteria they use. Know the different types of Boards (advisory, fiduciary, subsidiary, trustee, policy, etc), committees and which one suits your unique combination of skills & experiences.

2. Define your unique value proposition (UVP).

Identify the specific combination of skills, sector expertise, and personal attributes that make you stand out. And why that adds meaningful value that others will struggle to replicate. Avoid presenting yourself as "just another X". Mcklein - for example - had industry experience in healthcare; functional experience in outsourcing and a family heritage stemming from both India & The Philippines - 2 of the largest global centres for offshoring. 

3. Build credibility around your UVP.

Position yourself as a thought leader in your niche - online and in conversations through your network - so people associate you with that distinct value.

4. Conduct a hyper-focused search.

Identify and create a list of organisations that demand your UVP. The tighter the fit, the higher your chance of success. Generic outreach wastes time. For Mcklein, his first conversations about Board roles were for healthcare companies with an opportunity to build or improve their outsourcing/offshoring.

5. Network with the decision makers.

Avoid cold outreach to the current Chair, CEO or NEDs. A great place to start is with former Board members instead. Gather intelligence. Stress test the level of your interest and fit. Then ask for introductions or approach the decision-makers. Warm introductions are always beneficial, and either way, you'll be far more clued up about exactly how you can add value.

6. Demonstrate surprising value upfront.

When you reach decision-makers, surprise them. Make it obvious from the get-go what you'd be like to work with and how easily you'd add value on the Board. Sector insights, industry contacts, or a diagnostic framework can all work wonders.

7. Prepare Board-role-specific materials.

Tailor your resume/CV, interview approach and supporting materials for Board audiences. If you haven't held a NED role before, major on Board exposure (e.g, interactions/projects with Board & Exec), and Board-level contributions instead. Most people coming from a consulting background will have good examples of these.

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Many thanks go to both Matt and Mcklein for sharing all of their practical advice with such generosity and for allowing me to record our discussions from Friday and today! 

If you'd like to send me your career questions or listen in to some of my recorded discussions like these, simply create a free onupbeyond login here.

All the best,

Rich

ps. I also have a fantastic line-up of leaders to interview in the coming weeks. These include - to name a few:

• Cornelia Rapotaru - CEO of Stuart

• Dominic Rose - former COO of Depop (exited to Etsy for $1.65bn)

• Karen Hilton - CEO of BA Euroflyer

• Emma Kamel - GM at Naked Wines

• Jay Scanlan - Tier 1 Private Equity expert