I've just joined my first Board, I feel out of my depth, what can I do?
As a new member of a corporate board, you want to ensure your contributions are valuable. How can you quickly be seen to be someone that adds value to the discourse, come across as a professional and win the approval of your fellow board members?
Here are three ideas:
- have an executive presence
- being an active listener
- ask clarifying questions.
Executive presence is the ability to show confidence and composure in high-stakes situations. This can be conveyed through your body language, tone of voice, and words used.
Being an active listener means being engaged in the conversation and not letting your mind wander. This can be achieved by making eye contact, nodding your head, and paraphrasing what others have said.
Asking clarifying questions is a way to show that you are engaged in the discussion and want to ensure that everyone is on the same page. This will also help to generate new ideas and solutions.
By following these tips, you can quickly become a valuable contributor to any board meeting.