Building networks for board-qualified women

Thinking about adding “Board Director” to your portfolio career? For many of my clients, it’s a powerful next step in their career transition. A way to lead with impact and influence strategy. Not to mention earn additional income. But here’s what most people get wrong: Being board-ready and being board-qualified are two completely different things. Here are the real, behind-the-scenes tips I give to first-time board aspirants ready to stop circling and start landing: 1. 𝗕𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 • before you pivot, make sure your foundation is solid. • develop relevant skills and establish a strong reputation. • your operational success builds your strategic credibility. 2. 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 • Boards seek directors who fill specific skills gaps • Be crystal clear on what you offer at the governance level: • Strategic lens, financial acumen, ESG insight, stakeholder leadership.    3. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 • Leadership and governance aren’t the same. • Consider investing in director training (like AICD). • Know the key responsibilities: risk, compliance, oversight.    4. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 • Many first-time board members begin with NFPs, startups, or advisory roles. • These are incredible places to gain experience, confidence, and build your board narrative. 5. 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 • Ditch your exec CV. • Create a governance-aligned CV & Board Bio that speak strategy • Refine your elevator pitch to answer: Why would this board want you? 6. 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 • Engage in governance conversations. • Follow recruiters and companies with active boards. • Update your headline to reflect your board aspirations. • You want to show up as board-ready before you apply. 7. 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 • Most board roles aren’t advertised. • They come through relationships. • Let your network know you’re board-ready: seek intros.    8. 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝘀 • Every board has its own dynamics, risks, and culture. • Before accepting, ask the right questions:   financials, board minutes, reputation, expectations. • You’re choosing them as much as they’re choosing you. 9. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 • Board roles are competitive. • Expect slow responses, rejections, or silence. • Keep going. Keep showing up. • Your seat is coming - you just need to stay in the game. P.S. What’s one board you’d be proud to sit on? ♻️Repost to help someone start their Board Director journey

𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥.   I learned this sitting at a board dinner in Sydney - the only woman among twelve men.   The chairman mentioned they couldn't find female directors.   Days earlier, I had met five board-ready women actively seeking directorships.   This disconnect revealed everything wrong with how we approach professional advancement.   A few truths about real networking:   • Casual connections rarely create opportunities • Random events waste valuable time   • Most networking advice focuses on quantity over quality   𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙓𝙄𝙈𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝙏𝙊 𝙋𝙊𝙒𝙀𝙍 determines advancement more than talent.   Our research shows fewer than 5% of ASX and NASDAQ companies have balanced leadership. This persists because:   The system serves itself, not talent. Generic networking preserves existing hierarchies. Good networkers often make terrible leaders.   Here's what actually works:   𝘽𝙐𝙄𝙇𝘿 𝙎𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙏𝙀𝙂𝙄𝘾 𝙉𝙀𝙏𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙆𝙎 • Start with your end goal • Identify specific decision-makers • Create value before asking favors • Track every promising connection   𝙁𝙊𝘾𝙐𝙎 𝙊𝙉 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉 • One champion outweighs 100 contacts • Quality of connections beats quantity • Measure results, not activity   𝙇𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍𝘼𝙂𝙀 𝙉𝙀𝙏𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙆 𝙀𝙁𝙁𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙎 • Help others reach their goals • Build reputation through results • Create new pathways to leadership   At Ellect, we tested this framework:   Results after 5 events: - 3 women secured board interviews - 2 received executive offers - 90% made advancement-focused connections   𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩. 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣.   The difference drives everything.   https://lnkd.in/etjAFXks

Let’s talk about women on boards. And more specifically, about that elusive "independent director" seat, the one that’s not just symbolic, but powerful. Despite all the pledges and panels, women still hold just 23% of board seats globally. In India, we’re at 21%. In the US, just over 30% (S&P 500). The UK brags about 42% on FTSE 100 boards, but most of those are non-executive. And when you look for women of colour, the numbers plummet. The truth is, the boardroom isn’t meritocratic. It’s curated. Often cliquish. So how do you get in when you weren’t born into the right network? Here’s what I know and what I now teach and live: 1. What does it take to earn a seat at the table? Not just credentials, but credibility. Not just ambition, but governance instinct. You need to understand business risk, ask better questions, and lead without managing. You need to make the room smarter by being in it. 2. What even is governance? It’s the act of stewarding a company. Balancing risk, growth, ethics, and accountability. It means knowing when to support—and when to stop the train. 3. Start somewhere. Anywhere. Not every board is listed, and that’s a good thing. Start with non-profits, startups, school boards, advisory councils, or family businesses. The stakes are still real. The learning is still rich. And yes, that experience counts. 4. Build your board bio, not just your CV. Cut the fluff. Lead with results. Risk oversight. Transformation. P&L. Crisis management. ESG. Write like a future peer would read it, not like you’re applying for a job. Take the courses. But don’t stop there. INSEAD Certificate in Corporate Governance GCC BDI (great for the Middle East) Institute of Directors (IOD), India Harvard or Stanford on ESG, innovation, or risk ESG and sustainability credentials are currency, in this business. Learn the language. Apply it. Share your POV publicly. Visibility is not vanity. Speak on panels. Post your expertise. Show up where decisions are made. The best candidates are often hidden. Don’t be. Don’t wait to be picked. Nominate yourself. Say it clearly: “I’m board-ready. I’m looking to serve as an independent director. Here’s the value I bring.” One last thing: The independent director is not a decorative title. You’re there to hold space, hold power, and hold people accountable. You’re there because you see what others miss, and you’re not afraid to say it. Women don’t just belong in the boardroom. We belong in the decisions, in the dissent, and in the direction. Love, Ketaki

Mentee found out what they won’t tell you about board recruitment 🤷♀️ Dreaming of that board role? True story: A few months ago I recommended two women to a well respected #recruiter for a #NED role they were both more than qualified to fill. They both had the skills, interest, competencies and experience to be a quality #board addition. There were no unusual essential requirements for the appointment. I was irritated when I heard they were both turned away, encouraged NOT to apply, as they weren’t local and ‘being local to the area was a key requirement’, so if they applied they would not be put forward. One of these ladies -also a mentee- connected this week to share that she’d recently had dinner with a friend who mentioned that, whilst not local to the area, she had applied for the same board role, been shortlisted and interviewed...🤷♀️ The difference? As we spoke it became clear to my mentee that the recruiters can be gatekeepers. They are not your friend come recruitment time. It’s just business to them. She could have stayed disheartened by the experience. Instead we spoke about why women should continue to build their worth whether they are aspirant or experienced NEDs. Here are five things we agreed she can do in preparation for turning her next recruiter into a sponsor: 📍W: Widen that network – Don’t rely only on the community network or recruiters. Connect with the right industry leaders and existing, well connected board members. 📍O: Optimize your CV – Move it away from an executive to a Non-exec profile 📍M: Maximise your impact at the initial screening right through to interview – Focus on things like strategic vision and governance knowledge. 📍A: Align with the org 's mission – You will always be asked a question on your motivation. So, time to show your passion and values. 📍N: Nurture your expertise – Never stop learning! Consciously invest in your future to stay updated on industry trends and practices. Getting women willing to step into board roles or make a commitment often needs you to put a ring on it… #Vine -the grandpappy of #YouTubeShorts and #TikTok - was often cynically funny. Here’s an epic showing consistency of action - this also links to the theme of my other post today. (Disclaimer: This video is not representative of recruitment practice or board level decision making) #justdeboharris #mentorship #leadership #boardbasics

I've scoured programs from 50/50, European Women on Boards, and Ivy League certifications- the system is skewed. 🤯 Did you know that not a single board readiness program exists ‘exclusively’ for men? Meanwhile, women and historically underrepresented individuals are pushed into "readiness" initiatives. Now this part here, I cannot sugarcoat. 👉🏽A misaligned or unprepared board can derail an organization faster than you can say "shareholder meeting." But being on a board is also not about waiting for a milestone birthday, decades of experience or breaking the bank for a certification; 👉🏽 it’s about understanding your responsibility and impact. Earlier this year, a call with Hedwige Nuyens President of European Women on Boards (EWOB) and a webinar with Callum Laing founder of Veblen Director Programme shifted my perspective on waiting to be ‘board ready’. Here is their wisdom I am sharing with you. Thank you both 🙏🏽 1️⃣ Ditch the “readiness” myth: You’re more qualified than you think. The term “board-ready” is a trap that undermines your confidence. 2️⃣ Network strategically: Your connections can open doors. Engage with organizations dedicated to board diversity and make meaningful relationships. It is best to land a board position through someone you know vs. just blindly applying for one. Pro tip: Some recommendations on this in the comments below 👇🏽 3️⃣Brand yourself as a director: Update your LinkedIn profile and make it clear that you belong at the table. Perception matters! 4️⃣ Understand your impact: Diverse boards enhance decision-making and foster open dialogue. Research from Harvard Business Review shows that women directors come prepared, ask the tough questions, and create an atmosphere that encourages discussion. Don’t know how to get started? Use my language below in a LinkedIN post and make it your own. 🙋🏽♀️ I’m open for board roles! With a commitment to fostering diverse and effective governance, I’m eager to leverage my experience in driving organizational growth and transformation. If you’re looking for a strategic thinker who values inclusion and impact, please reach out. I’m committed to my journey of getting on more boards and driving further impact. I want to help more of you do it. P.S. A huge thank you to everyone who voted for me for the Veblen Director Awards- I came in as ‘runner-up Non-Executive Director (NED)’ Your support is incredible! My appetite for impact has only grown stronger.