10 qualities the best board members possess

Are you someone who likes to take charge and talk a lot? Do you have solid and inflexible opinions on certain issues?

If so, you may not fit the criteria to be an effective board member.

A survey conducted by the group Him for Her, which aims to promote gender diversity on boards, has revealed the qualities that top board members bring to the table.

The survey comprised over 200 senior leaders.

The founder Jocelyn Mangan says Him for Her helps companies with board member searches. It hosts small dinners where CEOs and board members are introduced to women seeking board positions.

Mangan interviewed 200 of her VIP guests – CEOs, CFOs, and board members – about the most effective board members they’ve encountered.

The results are illuminating.

When she noticed specific themes repeatedly emerging in their answers, she compiled a top ten list of valuable director qualities to share with her clients.

Mangan describes the list as a beneficial scorecard for evaluating leadership skills. People can do board member training courses, but do they have the right skills for the boardroom?

Boards can also use it to evaluate their performance as a whole.

According to Mangan’s research, extraordinary board members do these ten things:

1. Ask thoughtful questions

Mangan says the most influential directors don’t ask questions to prove a point. Instead, they ask questions because they are genuinely curious. This approach encourages the board to consider new perspectives and challenge established ways of doing things.

2. See around corners

Top board members can identify trends or potential challenges before others, benefitting a company’s strategy.

3. Inspire the team to think bigger

According to Mangan, all directors must grasp a company’s current operations, but top directors focus on developing a strategy for the next three to five years.

4. Use the product

It is not uncommon for board members to be disconnected from a company’s clients and brand. To be an influential director, one should try to understand the customer’s perspective by listening to support calls or following the company’s social media presence. 

5. Oversee without taking over

It can be challenging for high achievers to resist the urge to give commands during tough times when problem-solving comes naturally. However, Mangan suggests the best directors consciously try to do so anyway.

6. Network and recruit

Good board members act as “brand ambassadors” for the companies they represent and often bring in other talented individuals to join the company.

7. Spend time with the company

There is a common misconception that board members only participate in four meetings yearly. However, this needs to be revised for public company boards, and private company boards often require frequent interaction with directors. According to Mangan, there are many remarkable personal accounts of board members going the extra mile for their company, such as attending an important business meeting on short notice, even if they had to fly overnight and remain silent.

8. Invest in the CEO

Investing sometimes requires more than just coaching and strategising. Sometimes, it may involve offering emotional support, such as checking in on a CEO during a company crisis. According to Mangan, board members can be with a company for several years, and it’s important to remember that significant changes can occur in a person’s life during that time, so CEO care is essential. 

9. Challenge thinking

“If everyone is in agreement, then you have the wrong board.” Great board members are not afraid to challenge groupthink. 

10. Employ a high signal-to-noise ratio

Top directors are cautious about their input during discussions since they understand the influence their words can carry as a board member. According to Mangan, they also acknowledge the potential misinterpretation of their comments by executive teams. 

While plenty of resources are available for board member training, Mangan’s list stands out due to its focus on emotional intelligence.

Board member training courses will teach you how boards work, and having the necessary knowledge for the job and is a given when being considered for a board seat.

Nevertheless, according to Mangan, “soft skills” distinguish exceptional candidates from the rest.

Mangan also notes that none of the CEOs she interviewed ever mentioned that they admired a board member “because they understood the audit process”.

To discover more about board member training and how to be an influential and effective board member, download the course brochure below.