How to stay positive and build confidence whilst pursuing a board appointment

From a standing start, a board appointment within 12 months is what you should aspire to.  If you do the right things and stay committed to the process, then an appointment will occur far more quickly. However, almost 20 years of board appointment experience has taught me that rejection (and often dead silence) is part of the process of gaining a board appointment. Worse still, a lack of success can quickly zap confidence and lead to frustration that can kill your board search. Successful NEDs know this: it is not only their networks, skills, or years of experience that will secure an appointment, but also their ability to stay positive and build their confidence, which is critical. However, it is easier said than done. This article will explain how.

Manage your aspirations 

The key to staying positive and building your confidence is to ensure the roles you pursue are both desirable and realistic. Think of it this way, if you were the Chair of one of your target organisations, would you appoint yourself to that board? If you can’t say ‘absolutely yes’, then it is likely that, in a competitive environment, you will be outgunned by a competing candidate over and over again, and your confidence will be shattered.

Be prepared for rejection

However, even with your expectations in check, you need to be prepared for rejection. If you have not yet received an offer or received a ‘thank you but no thank you’ email in response to an application, you will. Disappointment is par for the course for even the most successful NEDs. 

Knowing how to manage this rejection is key. Instead of putting your head in your hands and quitting your search, ask yourself:

• ‘How can I improve?’
• ‘What can I do differently?’
• ‘Are my board aspirations realistic? Or am I pursuing roles unsuitable for me?’

Then go about answering these questions honestly and comprehensively. Remain focused on the aspects you can control. This is an essential facet of career resilience.

Ask for feedback

Not getting the role you wanted can feel like a massive blow, but it’s important to remember that this is not a personal failure, nor will it be the first nor the last in your life. Instead, leverage the experience to improve your approach. What could you do better? If you don’t get the role you applied for, make sure you ask why. 

Don’t miss a chance to request feedback and determine what didn’t work. This valuable insight will help you put together a more compelling application or perform better in the next interview. Honest feedback is difficult to hear but also difficult to give. So if you want it, you must permit them to provide it – warts and all. This is a fundamental part of asking for feedback, and it is rarely done.

Stay positive

Maintain an optimistic outlook and remember that rejection is part of the journey. If Walt Disney had given up at any of the challenging points he faced before Mickey Mouse, there would be no Disney today, and almost every business owner would say the same thing. While staying positive is easier said than done, it is critical because the opposite is disastrous. Don’t get disgruntled. It will quickly turn into an ”it’s not me, it’s you” mentality. This negative tone can creep into your language and attitude. I have seen it happen countless times, the results being the death knell of your board search.

Do things differently: Three things can make a massive difference 

If excessive rejection is part of your experience, you may need to take a different approach. While some people experience immediate success, gaining a board appointment takes time for most. If gaining a board appointment takes longer than you think, you may be doing one of three things wrong. They are:

• Being unable to define a list of organisations you want and can be appointed to that will help you achieve your longer-term board aspirations – a list of targets;
• An inability to articulate your value at board level– a compelling pitch verbally or on paper; and
• A lack of understanding about how board appointments are actually made – in particular, ignoring the fact that 80%+ are made without recruiters or adverts being involved. 

Enjoy the journey and the experience gained

‘In the beginning, it is the end, but in the end, it is the journey… it sounds like a terrible cliche, but it is true. Too many give up too soon because they measure their success in terms of immediate board appointments. This is understandable, but you also need to see the success of your board search in terms of the process that, when followed, WILL unlock board opportunities you may never have dreamed of.

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