6 reasons your WHY is the most important part of your board director journey

25 Mar

Author: Paul Smith,
Founder, Future Directors Institute

There are many reasons to become a board director, including for most of our community contributing to a greater good. Whether you are experienced in the boardroom or just starting the journey, it’s important to fully understand your ‘why’.

Your why is the most vital aspect of your director journey - at all stages. When you have identified and can powerfully articulate your why, anything is possible, and it will help you make smarter decisions.

So here are my six reasons your ‘why’ is the most critical element to being (and becoming) a board director:

1. Your ‘why’ keeps you motivated.

Most people who work with us at the Future Directors Institute are time-poor professionals with competing pressures and priorities, even if they are a full-time professional non-executive director. This has been made worse by COVID (and other stresses) and the growing sense of fatigue and weariness.

More and more people are starting board careers early (Note: “Board Young” is still under 50, but we are also talking about those in their 20’s and 30’s). But it’s unlikely to be their biggest priority. They have day jobs or their own business, plus family, friends and other priorities – life is busy and it’s not getting easier.

For lack of a better phrase, and not underplaying the necessary commitment, the boardroom is likely more a side hustle to many reading this article.

Whether you are starting out or have been in the boardroom for a long time, a strong connection to your motivations will keep you going when things get tough… like right now.

2. Your ‘why’ will help you quit a board role.

The opposite of reason #1 is knowing when to quit, and knowing your why is vital. If your board role(s), or the prospect of becoming a director, no longer aligns with your ‘why’ it might be time to question whether it’s right for you.

One word of caution though. If you are thinking of resigning from a board role, please speak to others (ie mentors, colleagues and peers) before you make a final decision. You may not be the best judge of your situation relative to the expectation of others.

More than ever, I hear good people questioning the value they bring to their board roles because they are less committed (due to the above stresses). However, you may have much higher expectations and remember, value does not always equate to time spent doing the job. You may be just as valuable to your board even if you need to ‘give’ a little less for the time being.

Either way, a lack of alignment with your why is the best reason to leave.

As an aside you might like my 1 minute take on “Barriers to Exit” when I guest presented on a friend’s podcast.

3. Your ‘why’ will help you focus.

When finding board roles, a clear ‘why’ will help you focus your efforts where they are needed most. Focusing on the types of boards you want to sit on and the sectors that these organisations and companies operate in is so important, especially when you’re first starting out.

If your ‘why’ is closely related to a cause (eg social justice, climate change, animal welfare and so on), joining a social enterprise or charitable organisation as a voluntary board member is one of the best ways you can live your ‘why’.

Or perhaps you’re from a people or customer-centric background and want to see big businesses thinking more strategically about their stakeholder engagement? Or maybe you want to help tech (and non-tech) startups identify and manage the risks of growing rapidly.

If you don’t know what it is for you then you probably haven’t explored your ‘why’ deeply enough. If you are struggling with this, we recommend engaging with a wide variety of people to understand their journey. What is it about their stories that resonates with you?

The sooner you focus on your ‘why’, the better off you will be. Securing a board role can be time-consuming, so you want to use whatever time you have efficiently and effectively.

Does it make a difference if you already sit on boards?

Yes! Your ‘why’ will keep you focused as well as motivated. Once you are a known quantity in the boardroom, one of the benefits is how in-demand you can become to other companies who will want you to sit on their boards. You might be approached by them and, flattering as this is, it’s easy to get lost in the decision. Reverting to your ‘why’ will allow you to (re)focus and should make the decision a little easier.

4. Your ‘why’ motivates others.

Board recruitment is 99% about people. I like to say “it’s not just who and what you know that counts, but who knows you and what they say about you”. Most boards still recruit via closed networks instead of advertising or paying for headhunters. That means you’re more likely to be tapped on the shoulder for a role or connected via a third party.

Even if you apply for an advertised role, you’ll still need credible references. Therefore, support from your network (or community as we like to call it) is vital.

So, when it comes to your community, are you going to get the support you need? Maybe. What can guarantee support is a powerfully communicated ‘why’ – something tangible that people can get behind.

We believe that saying “I’m passionate about [XYZ] and believe the boardroom is where my skills and experience would be most valuable,” sounds far better than “I want a board role but I don’t know why or where”.

5. Your ‘why’ will attract new people to you.

Your existing community is important, but if you’re starting out, you are going to need to build new relationships with directors and influential people in your chosen area(s) of focus (refer to reason #3 above).

You will need to meet new people and gain their trust and then their support – whether that support is proactive (seeking out opportunities for you) or reactive (passing things your way).

The best way to meet these people? Connect via your existing community. And what’s going to motivate your existing connections? Please refer to point 3 above.

Either way, when they ask you ‘why’ you want to be a director? You will be far better off if you have an awesome response prepared.

6. Your ‘why’ will get you hired.

If most of the reasons above are about the finding of a board role, then this final one is about securing it.

One of our main tips in my article about board interviews is about finding a common bond with your interviewer: “Having a shared experience or passion creates a different type of listening. Being on the same level (as your interviewer) bolsters your confidence and gives them an example of how successfully you can interact with and relate to your peers – a prime quality in a board director.”

But the best question you can ask to create an entry point to your ‘why’, is to ask why they joined the board.

So, how do you start developing your why?

You can start by grabbing a copy of my book, Right Seat Right Table: An outsider’s guide to securing the ideal board role. It won an award and people say nice things about it. So, for just a few dollars, it could get you started in the right direction.

Alternatively, if you feel ready… why not check out our Board Ready Program.

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