Taking the direct approach to a Board Appointment

Previously, I shared with you the importance of developing the right connections when looking for a board role. In this article, I aim to demonstrate how to utilise those connections when taking the direct approach for a board appointment. Statistically, 15% of people are appointed to a board by this direct approach. So, you need to know how to do this authentically and legitimately, in a way that generates broad opportunities. Opportunities that most people will never know about – and that’s where the secret to securing board appointments lies.

Why is the direct approach to a board appointment so successful?

50% of Australian organisations with boards recruited a board member in the last 12 months; however, less than 20% of these were filled by a ‘formal’ appointment process. That means there are thousands of unadvertised opportunities that are filled through personal connections or by those directly approaching (or being approached by) organisations with an offer to help. 

Some organisations even have standing vacancies on their board for the right person. As such, they may be passively looking for new NEDs for many months or even years before making an appointment. Most of the time, they will still want to avoid advertising or using recruiters to fill their roles and only formally go to market when they reach a tipping point, such as facing pressure to fill a seat due to multiple director resignations. 

Why is this the case? Those who have led any sort of recruitment process know that it is time-consuming, laborious, and resource-intensive, with the result being the likely appointment of individuals they have only met a few times—a concern for any Chair. In other words, it is a pain in the a**, with many chairs wanting to avoid the process if they can. 

Instead, organisations opt for a less stressful, quicker, cheaper and less risky option. The first step usually involves the Chair asking existing board members to suggest or nominate individuals for consideration to join their board. This is where your direct approach can come into play and work in your favour.

How should you go about it?

Unfortunately, most are tempted to just jump in and pick up the phone or email the Chair of the organisation you hope to be appointed to in the hope of arranging a conversation or meeting. My advice is don’t; it is far too soon. At this stage, they don’t know you, nor do you know them. Even if they were willing to speak, discussing a board role with them might be interpreted as presumptuous.

Instead, a slow, authentic and sensitive approach should be your guide.  Think of this as a dating exercise. Much like finding a husband or wife. You might meet and know they are the person for you on the first date, but if you ask them to marry you then and there, they will likely run a mile. 

So, before you do anything like calling or introducing yourself to the organisation, you should:

1. Know your targets

This is probably obvious advice, but it is advice that is rarely followed. Here is the question you need to consider: ‘Which organisation(s) do you want to be appointed to the board of?’ And, which of these organisations could you be appointed to the board of?’  To make a direct approach, you need to first know the names of your targets, both want and think you can appoint to. 

2. Warm your approach

You will only have one chance to impress when you approach the organisation or chair. Here I am reminded of an old proverb: Softly, softly catchee monkey. A more cautious approach should be taken to achieve the desired outcome. To do so, you must prepare – that means undertaking both desk-based and personal research. This type of research will provide you with information to demonstrate that you are proactive, engaged, and valuable. 

3. Be able to articulate exactly how you can help

At this point, many people use their newly acquired knowledge to highlight the challenges the organisation faces. This rarely gets the desired result. The Chair is already well aware of the challenges they face, and doesn’t need to be reminded about them. Instead, offer solutions that utilise your skills and experience.

4. Approach the right person… eventually

At some point, you will need to approach an influential decision-maker. In most cases, this will be the chair. In other cases, particularly if the organisation does not have an active or known board, the CEO is often the most appropriate person to speak with. If you are considering approaching a decision maker without having spoken to anyone else connected to the organisation or done your research, then you should stop. Go back to step 2 above. 

5. What to say & how

If you have completed the research correctly, then you can most likely furnish an introduction to a decision maker via one of the people you have spoken to during the process. In fact, even if these conversations did not lead to an introduction, they can still be leveraged really effectively. 

Most initial introductions will occur via LinkedIn or email. Start your introduction by summarising what you have discovered and the people you have talked to. Then provide some details about your background, ideally as your board pitch or board profile. This introduction will demonstrate that you are proactive, intelligent, engaged, and connected, making you less of a risk – and more likely to lead to a positive response.

5. Develop a mantra

One final word of advice. Don’t ask for a job too soon. In fact, don’t even hint at wanting a board role. That will come in time – both the ask and the offer. Instead, develop a mantra of  ‘how can I help’. By consistently using this approach to engage with the organisation and its decision-makers, you will become a notable and trusted entity. Volunteer, lead a board presentation, make an introduction, or do some pro bono work – whatever it takes to ingratiate yourself before asking for their hand in marriage.  

In Summary

By directly approaching an organisation, you position yourself to fill various board vacancies. Those that are often left unfilled or are filled before the need to undertake formal recruitment processes. In doing so, you won’t be one of the hundreds of applicants for the same board role. Instead, you will likely be the only one considered, and your chances of success improve dramatically. By proactively approaching an organisation and making it easy for them to appoint you, you will be making your potential appointment easy and helping them avoid a recruitment process they really don’t want to go through or spend money on.

How can we help?

Establishing an extensive list of target organisations and mastering the direct approach to a board appointment is something I cover extensively in my Board Appointment Training Series. The 18-module online training series has helped many gain a board appointment and is exclusive to our Executive Members.

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