Reprinted with permission from Across The Board. Written by Mark A. Pfister, CEO & Chief Board Consultant of M. A. Pfister Strategy Group.
Creating Your Proper Board Documents
Applying for a different job? Making a career change? Thinking it’s time to take a leap into something new? Then you are likely ramping up the ol’ resume mill to pump out your CV or resume to countless channels on the internet. But what about if your career change is leaning towards Board Directorship? Or, what if you want to land additional Board seats? Do you polish up the same documents and send a resume or CV for Board positions? Sounds like an easy thing to do – after all, your experience is your experience, right? The answer is a profound “NO.” …and this mistake is made over and over again by those looking to move into Board Directorship or those already established as Directors, but not conveying modern leadership acumen.
I have published this same article 3 times over the past 7 years and the decision to do so always aligns to heavy Nominating Committee loading in my consulting work. In other words, building processes for Nominating Committees as well as deep involvement in the vetting / appointment processes. These instances provide a vivid reminder of the lack of knowledge around how to submit properly for a Board opportunity. Some examples? A global pharmaceutical company receiving 572 initial Board candidates, of which only 12 submitted properly. A multinational financial institution receiving 320 initial Board candidates, of which only 9 submitted properly. A global hospitality firm receiving 755 initial Board candidates, of which only 15 submitted properly. A manufacturing institution receiving 122 initial Board candidates, of which only 5 submitted properly. A private equity (PE) portfolio company receiving 48 initial Board candidates, of which only 2 submitted properly. And the list goes on.
Submitting a resume or CV format for a Board position is the fastest way to be eliminated from the Board Candidate pool.
Yep, that’s right. Doesn’t work that way! Now, I know that a few folks in the executive / Board placement industry are going to write to me (again) and complain, “…why are you giving away knowledge that currently makes our vetting process easier…” But hey, my articles are about truth and are designed to offer up insight and solutions. I must admit, too, that when building Boards and soliciting candidates, I can tell within a matter of seconds if I have a serious Board candidate or not. First off, if the file name of their email attachment says ‘resume’ or ‘CV,’ I know I could have someone that is either not up to speed, is not considered a next-gen mindset Director, or likely doesn’t have in-depth modern experience in the Board space. For companies in the public, private, and PE sectors (and the nonprofit sector), a serious Board Candidate is required – not someone who is simply looking to fluff their career with a cushy title. So give yourself a fighting chance! Create the proper documents!
Creating the proper ‘Board Documents‘ is the first step in representing yourself as a serious Board Candidate.
“So what is this mysterious ‘Board Document‘ and how do I create it?” I thought you might ask! I have found the most success personally in landing Board seats, success for those I teach in packaging themselves properly for Board roles, and also vetting candidates for the Boards that I consult & advise with the following Board Document formula:
- Most simply, be sure to name your file correctly! This is the first impression you will make. Something such as ‘Mark-A-Pfister_Board-Document+Bio.pdf’ is clean and easily deciphered. You have shown the person receiving your request (and already cleared the first hurdle) by exhibiting your understanding that they are Board Documents, not a resume or CV! (note: the file should contain a proper cover letter, a proper Board Bio, plus a proper Board Document)… but, the document formats better match the file name or you will be viewed as a cheater!
- Remember that a job resume caters towards how you have managed, led, and motivated teams or employees to accomplish goals in most cases within set budgets, pre-determined timeframes and defined measures of success.- essentially how you have ‘worked’ within a defined hierarchical realm where job deliverables are already defined and your reporting relationship is set via a published organizational chart. Conversely, your Board Document needs to convey what is viewed as a step above just run-of-the-mill leadership and deliverables – direct focus on true leadership triumphs, strategic, and governance-type accomplishments is key to get the proper perception across. You need to show your independent thinking and thought autonomy outside of hierarchical structures. For this to be effective, you need to think strategic above and beyond tactical.
- The top 10 or 15 lines of your Board Document are paramount. Did you capture me early? Have you established yourself as a serious Board candidate? This is your intro statement, or what’s called your ‘Board Profile.’ Focus your summary on your thought leadership, innovation and collaboration. Have you established yourself as an industry expert? Good place to summarize this, too. Remember, this is a short paragraph of concise sentences, so use your words wisely.
- The concept of ‘broad brush strokes’ covering your experience and expertise is a good way to look at this. If your current role / title / focus spanned across multiple companies, list it in this way. This approach differs from a resume where you list the company first and then your role / title / focus when you were there.
- Other activities above and beyond your day-to-day activities are great to include, also. This actually is similar to a resume or CV, but I prefer it listed somewhat differently. Personally, I use the two section headings of a) ‘Publications & Teaching’ and b) ‘Education, Certifications, & Awards’ to help in keeping my Board Document more compact. Also don’t feel the need to list the day or month for each entry – just year(s) – as this can dilute the summarized message.
The length of a typical resume or CV is typically a big topic of conversation (and disagreement). This is no different in Board Document discussions. You will typically hear that 2-3 pages is ideal, and this could be true based on someone’s preference. I opt for 1 or 2 pages max in a Board Document (note: Cover letter: 1 page / Board Bio: 1 Page / Board Document: 1-2 pages), but this is done in such a way that I can also include two additional sections that I view as game changers, especially in candidate decision-making scenarios:
- One is called your ‘Major,’ or high-competency areas where you have deep expertise and experience. The other is called your ‘Minors,’ which tie back to experience, expertise, and/or passion to specific and common Board Committees. This has the unique effect of associating experience to actual Committee focus areas of a Board – whether it be as a Committee Member or the Chair of a specific Committee. Seeing as how a bulk of the work on a Board is typically (or should be!) done within the Committee areas, you have just associated yourself to the solution-generation area of the Board. As an example, this month’s Board Director Spotlight Award Recipient shown above, Ilse Baxter, has showcased her ‘Major’ as Non-Executive Director, Transformation, & Strategy Expert, with her ‘Minors’ showcased as Governance, Innovation, & Technology.
- The other added area is called your ‘Core Leadership Traits.’ This lists characteristics that you (and hopefully others) would use to describe your demeanor and approach in group and leadership situations. Categories such as Character, Communication, and Strategic (to name a few) have listed descriptive words underneath them to support your ‘soft skills’ focus. This is one area that incorrect candidate submissions, and even standard Board Documents, do a poor job of representing.
Additionally, your Board Bio, very different from your Board Document (and even very different when compared to a Professional Bio format) has an equally important structure and layout very unique to a properly packaged Board candidate. Want to learn all the details of properly structured Board Documents (including cover letter, Board bio, and Board Document) along with downloadable templates and available support? Join our Becoming an Exceptional Board Director Candidate Education & Certification Course with International Board Director Competency Designation (IBDC.D) for everything you need.
With these pointers, I wish you the best of luck in your Board endeavors. Just make sure your Board Documents are complete and compelling! As I have become known for saying, “Making it to the interview has become more challenging than getting the Board appointment!” Proper Board Documents make an impactful first impression to get you there.
We would love the opportunity to assist you with your board documents. Book your complimentary consultation with us today to get started on your path to success.
