Everybody. Good morning. Good afternoon. I know there's some people dialing in from all around the world. Welcome. I'm Naomi Kent. I'm the CEO founder of The Boardroom Company.I've been working with boards for over twenty four years, and I'm going to be speaking today with Shontra Powell about how to land a board seat in 2026. Not 2027, but right now. How can you land a board seat right now? Now just a quick one. I chose Chandra Powell to speak with me. Not only, do we live pretty close. We often go out for lunch and breakfast and things like that. But, Chandra has served in a number of leadership roles in Fortune 1,000 companies. She has served on boards. She's presented to corporate boards. She's an entrepreneur, and she has her own podcast, Proven Not Perfect. And she's an author of a book called Proven Not Perfect.

So, Shontra, wonderful to be here with you. Thanks so much for joining me.

Hey, Naomi. Virtual high five, and I am sending so much goodness out there to all of you. Thank you for vibing with us. So we are gonna do something a little bit different. We're gonna sit right on in the podcast studio. I just wanna make one quick quick update. There's a poll that's been dropped out there. Just gonna say it again. Please tell us. Do you wanna be on a board? Because, you know, we wanna know. Alright. With that being said, Naomi, I don't wanna miss a second because this is such compacted time and so much great information that we can get from you. Why do people want to be on boards? I mean, I can tell you what I was drawn to back in the I don't even know when I wanna say the time.

But when I first joined corporate board, it was the opportunity to move into a role that gave me increased strategic view, insight, and voice. That's what called to me way back when. Why do people want to join boards?

Well, I think you're spot on, Shontra. That those are some of the main reasons. I actually, gave a survey to all my clients over the years. So I got hundreds and hundreds of responses from people who, worked with me to get onto a board. And I asked them right at the beginning, why do you wanna join a board? And for a lot of people, it was a purpose. It was, intellectual challenge. It's something that that is it it's not easy. Right? It's not an easy thing to do. You're around a boardroom table with some amazing people. And, also, it's work that is going to really challenge you. Mhmm. I'll give you a quick example. Let's say you work, and I've seen some of the titles of people here in the room. We've got managers. We've got directors. We've got some c levels.

In your job, you're doing your job every day. Right? You're doing the same things. But have you ever done any CEO succession planning, right, which is where you actually plan for the next CEO to take on their role? You ordinarily probably may not do that in your role unless you had a certain specific role in the company, and it had to be pretty serious and pretty sorry. Pretty senior. So serious too, probably. Yeah. Very serious.

About it. Yeah.

On a board, you would have to do that even on a not for profit board. So there are things you'll start doing that otherwise you may not get the opportunity to do. And not to mention the network, but we'll talk about that in a moment.

That's no. That's really spot on. And so as the folks that are here I'm looking at the poll right now. And, Naomi, they're 83% of the folks that are that are joining us today are saying, yes. They wanna join a board. And one one is saying, I don't think so. But for those that are here that want to join a board, you know, I think it's understanding what qualifies you for a board. And and if I may just put bring in a little bit of my own experience there, I would come to learn that being fit for purpose on a board as a board candidate was really, really important. Right?

And so a lot of times, folks can hold up their hand and say, I wanna join a board, but there's a nuance to the timing and to the fit based on what that board is doing at the point that you become a candidate and your success. Can you tell us a little bit about what qualifies a person to be on a board and if there's any any truth to, fit and timing?

Yeah. First of all, a lot of what you read about boards of directors is gonna be in the news and you listen to it. Oh, yeah. The board of Apple and all these things. Those are the top, top, top boards of directors in the world. Okay? Only very, very few people will get onto those boards. Pretty much if you've been a c level executive at one of those companies. Yeah. So what a lot of people do is they get they get a little bit intimidated. They're like, well, I could never be on the board of Apple. Right? You know? Of course not. But not right now. So you have to kind of build. Think about all the thousands and that hundreds of thousands of businesses out there. I'm in The USA. We're actually both in, living in Florida. I'm in The USA. We think about Europe. We think about Asia and all the other countries.

You know, there are millions of companies that have boards of directors, and you will be a different qualification per board. So don't be intimidated by these big boards. There are small boards. There are not for profit boards. And when I say not for profit, for those of you in the room who immediately think, oh, a charity. No. You have industry associations like the American Marketing Association. You have professional associations. Those are for CFOs and financial people and all and and maybe HR or whatever it might be. Then you also have clubs, golf clubs, memberships, religious organizations. This is where people come together. Learning how to serve on a board there can be a really, really good start. So being qualified to serve on a board depends on the board, but let me just give you a quick refresh.

So very, very large board, c level executive at a very, very large company. Not for profit, I really think you need to be behind the mission. You need to be smart enough to know how to think critically, right, and be able to ask good questions. Mhmm. And then maybe some of the companies somewhere in the middle, they need specific experience, industry, or maybe you're just somebody that they know and they like and they trust. Right? And they trust your judgment. A lot of being on a board is about judgment. So what I would give advice to and I know we're very short on time here today, so we don't have time to go into the details. But think about what kind of board is a good fit for you, then you'll realize that you are qualified.

So, Naomi, I talk a lot on the Proven Not Perfect podcast about knowing our why and also knowing our skills and experiences, what we're really good at, how we position ourselves. I would imagine that for those that are successful achieving the most influential boards, they're not only clear on the boards that suit their skills and experiences, but they're also very articulate about the key nuances of their experiences that bring an offer to the board.

Tell us a little bit about those that are successful and what they know in advance that positions them ahead of others.

I'd say one of the first things you need to do is research the roles and responsibilities of board members. Really understand what it is that they do. You know, it's like is I I give this analogy. It's like being an athlete, but not knowing which sport you're playing in. Right? You're like, well, am I training for golf? Am I training for hockey? Or am I training for basketball? Right? What am I what am I doing right now? So it's the same sort of thing. But if you know which sport you gotta train for, you can go and train for that specific sport. So my first thing would be roles and responsibilities of board members, then see, is there a fit? Do I see where I, can bring value? My second piece of advice is as you're doing your research, really take care looking at the language that is used about those harmful responsibilities. Right?

There's verbs like oversight or to oversee, right, versus, you know, this this is what I do. This is the work I execute. Right? That's more of somebody who's doing the work. A board is overseeing, advising. Right? It's a little bit of a different space. So you have to kinda change the way you speak to be able to really communicate with the people that are potentially giving you that board role. So I would say understand the space, learn the language, and then, of course, speak to the right people.

I love it. You know, I I think back to my first board, which was a nonprofit board. And I was equipped because I was identified as someone who was very curious in my career, but also brought a very specific skill set and risk in finance. And that positioned me to get on the first board, nonprofit board. And then as career would continue, I would have experiences that would set me apart in mergers and acquisitions, that would set me apart in transformation assignments, that would set me apart in commercial p and l's. And over time, that sort of weave the blanket of offers that I bring to boards now. I wanna back up the bus a little bit because if someone on this conference has one year experience in their career, two year experience, five year experience in their career, I would imagine that, them pursuing board experience is gonna look a little bit different than someone with ten plus years experience.

How would you break down the how to based on the different levels of experience?

First of all, I'll say this. If anyone here listening is ambitious and they wanna get ahead in their career, you must consider serving on a board. It's absolutely essential. I have a podcast if you wanna check it out, The Boardroom Company Life. Every single very experienced board director will tell you that they started young and they started maybe on a nonprofit, a little bit like you that was the same as me. I was 28 years old when I joined a nonprofit board. I've also launched on one of our nonprofits, a junior board, and I think one of our youngest members is 23. So age does not matter. Right? You can get on a junior board and and, again, I could have a whole conversation about what is a junior board, but, you know, we got Google and we got Chattopty and things like that.

So I have a look. But if you are at the very early stage of your career, strongly consider a non not for profit. If you're still really early stage, what I'd like you to do is start meeting people outside of your industry. I think it's one of the biggest pieces of advice that, again, very experienced c level people give me, and they say, I wish I had done this sooner. So building relationships with people outside of your industry, really getting to grips with the role and responsibilities of board members. Now if you have a lot more experience, I would start to consider what's called advisory boards. Yeah. Those are nonfiduciary boards. Again, I hope people take some notes here. Nonfiduciary boards, they tend to be more advisers to the CEO. You can get on those boards, I'd say, pretty easily.

I got on my first one when I was, I think, 34, 33. Thirties and forties, I think that's a good time. When you get into your forties and fifties, you should really start thinking about fiduciary corporate boards. And so, very, very important to think about the amount of experience. And you're probably thinking, well, why does it matter? It does matter the amount of experience that you've had. Boards, the bigger boards are looking for people who have more experience. Just a it's just a a natural. So I would say that. I would say if you're early in your career or late in your career, build your network. It's going to be one of the biggest things. You will thank me later, for the time that you've spent over the years.

Just saying yes, going to that event, meeting someone, going for that coffee instead of staying home and just watching TV, going out, having dinner with someone. Over time, that will pay you back.

I I have to unpack a little bit because you use that big word that starts with an n, networking. And that word can incite fear in some of us and, perhaps a little bit bit of bit of joy in others depending on on where you fall on that spectrum. There's a a bit of controversy around the the idea of networking. And you said something in the answer just a moment ago that implies a more organic positioning and fluidity to building who you're associated with and the networks you're a part of. And I'm using intentional words because I believe when you do that, it's different than networking as a sport. It's actually building a network. Can you tap into that a little bit and tell us why that's important for board?

Yeah. Well, first of all, I think that the five people outside of your family, right, the five people that you spend time with are going to dictate where your career goes. It's an absolute fact. Okay? So if you surround yourself with people who are not achieving or they are achieving, that's gonna rub off on you. So the first thing I would say is take an audit. Everyone here on the call, take an audit. Who did you spend time with last month? Who did you spend time within the last couple of weeks? Right? And I'm not saying they're not good people. It's just are they getting you to the place that you want to be, and are they almost inspiring you and motivating you, right, to go in the direction that you wanna go?

Networking is a dirty word. In fact, in my book, which is called Wanted, a board career, it it I actually say it's a dirty word. Nobody really likes it. I think it's officially dead. I don't really like it at all. I'll tell you what I do like. Like it. Good. It's it's it's over. We've we've killed it. I'd tell you that what I do like is the one to one connection. Yeah. So I'll give you an example. You and I was exactly the same. Right? We met, I don't know, a year ago, a couple of years ago. Yeah. And we were like, oh, we connected just with a quick email. I think someone introduced us. Yeah. We went out for breakfast, then we went out for lunch and dinner, and then we connected some other people together. Right? Yeah. We didn't just go to a big networking event, wave hello, and walk away, and then go, oh, yeah. I know Shontra really well.

I I just can't get to know you that way. Right? That's right. You have to have that one to one time with people. So I would say just find really good people, people you like, respect, people you think, wow. I would love to be that person or I would love to do the things they're doing. Be around those individuals. So when I say network, find friends and people that are as ambitious as you are, if not more. Right? That's gonna motivate you and push you. And who knows? It might be a board opportunity in the future one day.

I love it. Okay. This time is going so fast, but I hope that this group feels that we're giving them right to the chase, you know, straight talk around their interest in pursuing board seats. So with five minutes left, do I dare pitch the mic to you, my dear fellow podcaster?

Absolutely. So, there's a few things I just wanna mention in the in the in the final, kind of space, which is, there are three things boards care about, growth, transformation, and risk. So if in your job at the moment, you have an opportunity to get involved in all of those three areas in the business, growing the business as in bringing the money in, transforming the business, any kind of change management that goes on, and any risk mitigation, so compliance, risk, anything.

If you're involved in all three, your chances of being on a board are higher. If you can get leadership roles, chances of being on a corporate board, higher. If you can manage a p and l, right, that's managing money going in, money going out. It might not be right now, but maybe in the future. That could be a corporate board future for you as well. But for those of you who are, maybe one to five to ten years in, I strongly recommend you get governance experience sitting on a not for profit. That could be any kind of not for profits, not just charities out there. And, actually, it can help you grow your career. I sat on a not for profit, called Step Up Women's Network at age 28.

The people I met on that board, I'm still friends with and their founders and CEOs and amazing people. And I learned so much from that experience. So this really is a life changing decision that you can make. So I would definitely, promote that.

I love it.

And, Shontra, how about you? Final words. I know we've got I don't know. Have we got four minutes? I'm not sure.

Yeah. So you know what? I'll tell you. For me, as I reflect on my natural journey to board participation, it started by being rooted in a special a specialty. That specialty, allowed me to not only demonstrate success in, in performing to that specialty, but it also allowed me a unique perspective when I sat at the table with my peers. I became known as someone who understood and could apply my specialty to the broader conversation, and I also learned then how to expand that specialty based on the broader conversation. Just kinda double clicking on what Naomi just said. Get on those not for profit boards and allow those that skill building to take place naturally. Over time then, the level of complexity of the boards that I would sit on, including the budget, including the number of board members, and including the assignment, I would be asked to serve on boards that were going through major transformation and strategic change. I would be asked to sit on boards that were looking at leadership structure and invited to be a part of CEO transitions, to be a part of, compensation planning.

I would also be invited to be on boards that mirrored some of my skills and experiences in mergers and acquisitions. So boards where they're looking at growth, inorganically, and specifically then, leveraging fleet experience, logistics experience, all those things combined together. So I would say to the folks that are later on and getting the call for corporate board seats, I would say be very clear on your truest experiences, the stories that support them. And when you're invited for the interview, those stories come to bear and they really work to present you as the top candidate. And don't be discouraged.

Yeah. That's really, really good, advice. I think, one of the things that, you know, I I would say just sounds like everyone here is ambitious. If you come to these kinds of conferences and you're here to learn, you are going to be lifelong learners. And that's actually if we go back to our original question, like, why do people wanna be on a board? A lot of them say, I'm a lifelong learner. You know, I don't just wanna sit around in retirement. I wanna actually start building my board experience. But I think board experience is built right from the word go. And the, you know, a couple of things, just just really check out who sits on the board. Be very clear about your intentions. But, you know, I I've seen it work for me. Chandra, it's, you know, been hugely valuable for her career and many, many others.

So I hope this has been a great Yes. Session here for everyone to just motivate you to think about board service. So do converting those nos to yeses. Right? We

put more women on those seats. Go do it.

That's right. That's right. It's not out of your reach. It's definitely not out of your reach.

It's been a pleasure, my friend.

Thank you, everyone. Follow me on LinkedIn and Shontra as well. She has a wonderful podcast, which you should all listen to. So great to see everybody, and please connect with me on LinkedIn as well. So happy to share more, insights on how to build a board career. Thank you, everyone. Jeanette, Daria, Karina, Nadja, thank you. Awesome. You're welcome. I love it.

We'll look forward to being