Five mistakes you should never make as a new board director
Author, Paul Smith, Founder, Future Directors Institute
Complacency leads to mistakes, and there are some common mistakes that you should never make – especially as a new director. I’ve compiled the top five of those mistakes for you, to help your boardroom journey be a successful one.
In Brief: If you want to truly influence others then trust, patience, preparation, contribution and courage are the five things you need more than anything. They work far better than rank.
Approx. reading time: 2’30”
It’s easy to believe that becoming a board director is a natural step in one’s career. You’ve seen plenty of your peers make the transition, or perhaps blend a non-executive role with their day job. For many this is true, and they successfully make the move.
However, in our experience, as most board directors tend to come from more senior leadership ranks (not exclusively age-related, of course) there often is an accompanying sense of complacency.
1. Accepting a board role on face value
First up, the single most common mistake made by new directors is accepting a board role on face value and doing almost no due diligence on the organisation, board of directors, culture and strategy.
Not all boards and board roles were created equal. It’s always best, especially as a new director, to find a role that matches your values and skills, rather than one you think will best aid your progress. You might be lucky in the latter, but if you are not a good fit or are not likely to excel in the role, your reputation could be tarnished before you even really begin.
The answer? Do your due diligence. Ask the right questions, get hold of documentation, meet the key people. As Dr Natalie Ferres of Bendelta (and previous Faculty of our Board Ready Program) once said, “you need to be ‘dispassionately passionate’”. This is especially true when joining non-profit boards.
2. Being late to meetings
Simple really, but you’d be surprised how often our so-called ‘busy lives’ interfere. As a board director you are automatically expected to behave respectfully of your fellow directors and be in control of your time.
If you’re someone who feels they may struggle with juggling a board role with the rest of your busy life, check out this blog post here for my tips on balancing a governance role with other commitments.
3. Not being prepared
You might think the role of a director is to read the papers, turn up and help make decisions. Well yes, partly. You do need to read board papers and often they are extensive, complex and delivered much later than you’d like. However, this is no excuse for not understanding as much as possible.
Meetings of directors are essentially rare, and time is minimal. The better prepared everyone is, the more likely things will get done as required. If you think you can help others be better prepared, offer to help. If papers are not being issued in a timely manner, find out why and offer to assist. Your reputation for making things happen will stand you in good stead. Don’t be a passive director.
It’s also not just reading papers that is part of the preparation. You need to understand the responsibilities expected of you, as well as the motivations and positions of your fellow directors. Managing the (hopefully) diverse perspectives of a board is much easier when you know them better. Build rapport and relationships.
4. Don’t be impatient
You probably want to have your say the minute you join a board, and begin having some positive influence. But even if you are very senior, influence comes over time. You need to build trust with your fellow directors. This does not mean you remain silent in your first few meetings, so don’t be afraid to ask challenging questions. Just make sure when you do speak up, you are prepared.
5. Don’t ask stupid questions
Finally (and this may counter the point above) you need to understand the protocols. All boards are different. When can you ask questions? Should you know the answer already? Did you miss something in the board papers or governance documents? Double-check everything, and be as informed as possible. You are not expected to know everything from the beginning, but it’s best not to ask the really dumb questions as it shows a lack of preparedness.
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