Below are a few resources to gain insights into bank boardroom trends.

• Key Considerations for Building Successful Bank Board
• Bank Boards are Set to Undergo Further Transformation – PDF
• Bank Board Risk Governance
• Bank Board Oversight: The Case for a Separate Risk Committee
• Board Governance: Higher Expectations, Better Practices? – PDF
• Is the Bar Too Low to Join a Bank Board in the U.S.? – video
• Regulators Intensify Scrutiny of Bank Boards

 
                                            Ready to optimize your efforts to gain a board seat?
                                            Schedule a complimentary introductory consultation.
 
                                             Start your journey to the boardroom today!
                                           [email protected] | www.eboardmember.com
 
               Consultant to Boards, Author of Board Guru™ eBook Series and Previous Sitting Director
                                                          – Triple Crown Value Proposition

Tracy E. Houston, M.A. is the President of Board Resources Services, LLC. She is a refined specialist in board consulting and executive coaching with a heartfelt passion for rethinking performance, teams, and the boardroom. With a focus on leadership, strategy, and risk management, she consults primarily with directors, presidents, and senior officers to provide input on high level, sensitive, and complex issues. Sometimes called the Chief Potential Officer, Tracy has a background that includes sitting on a number of boards, board consulting, and coaching for potential. She develops unique insights into the vital role of human interaction and the inevitable fusion between barriers to growth and success. Extensively published, Tracy has written hundreds of blogs that are featured on numerous award-winning websites and has a monthly board column hosted by ColoradoBiz Magazine. She is the creator of the Board Guru™ eBooks - a corporate governance leadership series.

For his whole career John* built an arsenal of achievements that did not end once he became a C-suite executive. His success was noted in a number of ways. He was highly respected, called on to speak at leading industry events and his advice was sought after in private meetings. He had a strong sense of accomplishment and was happy with how his career had progressed.

Eventually, the full life of an executive lost its appeal and he decided to retire. He was comfortable with his financial position and was ready to have a new life -one that he could relax and enjoy all he had made so many sacrifices for.

Except that he immediately felt like he fell off a cliff. Retirement was more than just making an adjustment. The lack of stimulation and “being in the game” left him with a deep sense of being displaced. Even depressed.

I have worked with a number of highly accomplished executives that reflect this story. The CEO of an energy company. A high-profile attorney. The president of a top-ranked division in a public company. An internationally known government official. These are real-life stories that represent the need to rewire not retire.

They all have several things in common: They were highly engaged and successful over most of their adult life. They had the financial means that allowed for a comfortable life. And, more importantly, they found the idea of traditional retirement did not work for them.

High achievers may not be aware that they have a honed ability to stay relevant. They just have lived this through leadership positions. In other words, their decisions for years have affected people, processes and projects. Their advice, much sought after, had a sage quality that garnered immediate attention. They mattered.

Are you one of these people? If so, are you ignoring the question of how you will rewire your life?

But how does one rewire when looking at their career trajectory before taking a retirement package?

The savvy board candidate takes the time to plan and even hires a coach to help with this career transition.

Thinking about what will be your new direction and then applying specific skills requires a change in perspective that includes both creating and preserving.

Creating. In the creation mode, we can image what our life will look like. This can be clear direction on what boards to approach, what content to create for publication, opportunities to be an adjunct professor, and what subjects to speak on at events. The challenge is to do it by choice before an exit is taken. Stripped of the identity and relevancy gained from employment we can become vulnerable to boredom, dislocation and depression.

Preserving. To preserve may not sound as fun as creating but it is an important element to avoid the feelings of being stranded or lost after a career exit. It requires a thoughtful process that identifies what served us well and will continue to be part of our new life. This framework connects advancement and improvement with keeping a few elements of our previous life. They can be leadership competencies that are very important and should not be undervalued when applied to your vision of the next stage in your life.

I recently completed a coaching engagement for a consultant who, nearing retirement, wanted to rewire not retire. Our main goal was for her to gain a public company board seat but we also did an assessment to identify primary drivers around personal passions and identified non-profit boards to begin relationships with.  Then, with the “calendar analysis,” we matched up work activities with driver fulfillment/payoffs. After our engagement, the candidate began networking for a board seat and was appointed to a NYSE company, began teaching a course as an adjunct professor and approached several non-profit organizations to start volunteer work and board membership. The sensitive integration of these activities represents some of the fruits of the coaching engagement. What the candidate was doing now mattered and it also mattered to those involved in her new life.

Relevancy, as long as we maintain it, is rewarding on almost every level. But when we lose it? Exiting a long, successful career can be painful.

Many of us (though not all) would relish a few days by ourselves, knowing that what we’re doing doesn’t matter to the world. But 10? 20? Even 30 plus years?

Will you rewire or retire?

*Not his real name.
​
Tracy E. Houston, M.A. is the President of Board Resources Services, LLC. She is a refined specialist in board consulting and executive coaching with a heartfelt passion for rethinking performance, teams, and the boardroom. With a focus on leadership, strategy, and risk management, she consults primarily with directors, presidents, and senior officers to provide input on high level, sensitive, and complex issues. Sometimes called the Chief Potential Officer, Tracy has a background that includes sitting on a number of boards, board consulting, and coaching for potential. She develops unique insights into the vital role of human interaction and the inevitable fusion between barriers to growth and success. Extensively published, Tracy has written hundreds of blogs that are featured on numerous award-winning websites and has a monthly board column hosted by ColoradoBiz Magazine. She is the creator of the Board Guru™ eBooks –a corporate governance leadership series. 

Her company, Board Resource Services, has a website at www.eboardmember.com and www.eboardguru.com. Follow Tracy on Twitter @BoardGuru. Headquartered in the Denver, Colorado area, Tracy is an avid hiker.
​
For a complimentary 1-hour consultation, email: [email protected]

I have observed both “bests and blunders” in many candidate interviews. Without fail, this high-level interview brings to light behavior under the influence of stress and reveals the haves and have-nots when it comes to executive presence. While executive presence is hard to define, we all know it when we see it.  This “it” factor - the combination of confidence, poise and authenticity – convinces us that we are in the presence of the real deal. The directorship interview is a time when candidates ask how to ensure and increase executive presence. But how does that happen? The answer may be found, in part, from new research done by social psychologist Amy Cuddy that shows how  "power posing" – standing in a posture of  confidence, even when we don't feel confident – can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain,  and might even have an impact on our chances for success. We all are aware that body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves.

A savvy board candidate can learn this secret and use "power posing" that boosts confidence just minutes before the interview. Below are a few power cue behaviors that show confidence and lead to a genuine executive presence during an interview for a board seat. The candidate:

1. Sets the right tone when entering the room for the interview with straight-up, lead-with-the-heart posture.

2. Knows how to pitch their voice to project leadership that speaks of a grounded sense of earned authority.

3. Uses an occasional pause with a natural ease to add emphasis and let the interviewers consider their comments.

4. Uses a sophisticated level of eye contact with a 30-second hold and watches for triggers that both gain and lose the focus of others during the interview.

5. Makes sure their voice carries easily so that everyone can hear them in the room.

6. Focuses on the interviewer’s body language as much as on what is being said and responds to both with a measured energy that allows for a give and take conversation.

7. Can spot the person/s in power at the interviewing table and develops a connection from a place of executive maturity to cement a knee-to-knee connection.

For more information, see: Becoming a Public Company Director: Interview Strategies and Becoming a Public Company trilogy.

(Denver, CO – June 11, 2015) - Board Guru™, the premier global player in virtual board and director development, announced today the debut of its final book in the Becoming a Public Company Director trilogy - Becoming a Public Company Director: Interview Strategies. Board Guru™ eBooks are exceptionally valuable and timely tools to guide today’s busy professionals through the maze of best practices of corporate governance.

“There is no interview like the director interview. My ‘tales from the field’ reveal never before written wisdom that can make the difference between winning and losing a board seat. This first-of-its-kind book reveals power tips about the closely-held director interview process with content that is a combination of big insights and practical strategies around impact, credibility and connection. The savvy board candidate will find help to sharpen their interview skills with insights into specific strategies that distinguish the very best candidates for board seats,” said Tracy Houston, Board Resources Services, President and creator of the exclusively digital eBook series for corporate governance. “My goal was to help candidates develop a ‘relevance telescope’ that highlights what really matters. This is a ready reference that director candidates will return to again and again for the crucial information needed to gain a board seat.”

Board Guru™ eBooks aim to transform how directors and governance professionals keep abreast of company trends and create value in the boardroom. Think of the eBooks as a governance version of Cliffs Notes®.  With collaborative governance in mind, the eBooks combine the efforts of directors and boardroom experts in a platform that is concise, easy to use, and filled with real-world experience. Board Guru™ products omit the dogma and advance the need for practical leadership tools – a critical advantage for the 21st century.

Recently published titles include: Becoming a Public Company Director, Becoming a Public Company Director: Social Media Strategies, Board Evaluation: Creating Strategic Performance and Effectiveness, New Director Board Due Diligence, The Art of Constructive Challenge, and Boardroom Insider: Best Blogs, Resources and Insights.

While viewpoints vary on what makes a candidate board ready, the following criteria can help to determine your level of board-readiness.

Quantitative Criteria

Aspiring Directors

• Interest in directorship
  
• No private or public board experience
  
• Some operational business experience/expertise, but limited enterprise-wide business acumen
  
• Currently serve on small not-for-profit board
  
• For-profit executive or professional service provider who interacts with boards currently, with longer-term aspirations of serving on boards
  

Emerging Directors

•  Experienced executive/professional with good business acumen developed through 15+ years of work  experience, 5+ years in a leadership capacity
  
•  Senior management/leadership roles such as C-suite, senior partner, government or military 
  
• Former or current director of a small- or medium-sized for-profit corporation, or a mid- to large-sized not-for-profit board 
  

Seasoned Directors

• Experienced executive/professional with strong business acumen developed through 20+ years of work  experience, 10+ years in a leadership capacity
  
•  Leadership roles such as C-suite, senior partner, government or military
  
•  Past or current director of for-profit boards including publicly-listed corporations
  

Qualitative Criteria

• Articulate communicator and good listener
  
• High level of emotional intelligence ability to understand the dynamics of the boardroom, how to deal with conflict when it arises
  
• Ability to balance a sense of unity with an openness to all relevant information even at risk of a fracas from time to time
  
• Have a balanced sense of caution and have demonstrated success when taking prudent risks
  
• Highly refined ability to self-assess 
  
• Can enhance contribution through feedback
  
• Can lead when appropriate, but aware of collective responsibility and engagement
  
• Can challenge constructively and be supportive when necessary
  
•  Sharp mind and good judgment
  
• Self-confident without being ego-driven
  
• Courage to stand up for that which is in the best interests of the company
  
• Team player
  

Moving forward on your goal of becoming a public company board member requires a purposeful focus with dedicated time and effort. You can help shape your future with these actions:

Separate your leadership skills out from the crowd:  Think about what is hard to forget about you or your leadership experiences. Share this with others.

Develop your story line: This narrative should provide high points of your past and how that fits into your next step toward being a director. Think past, present and future. Connect the dots with how you add value and will add value in the future.

Introduce yourself: Do this in a strategic manner by defining all the stakeholders on the road to the boardroom and letting them know about your new goal and direction. Ask for help.

Become the expert: Overcome hesitancy by speaking and writing as a professional in corporate governance. Discuss the current challenges and offer insights that are unique. Use social media and virtual learning to promote yourself.

A great resource for director candidates is an ebook: Becoming a Public Company Director (Amazon, Barnes, iBookstore $9.99).

 

If your career goals include a public company board seat, make these three lists to keep focused on your goal of becoming a director. This is a quick, easy way to keep your North-Star priorities. Make time to update them monthly and stay on track.

Win List: This list includes new people you have met, who are also on the journey to the boardroom. Maybe you shared coffee or lunch – even a phone call? List their names and what you learned or gained from the conversation. Keep in touch with them periodically to match progress.

Coaching Tree List: On this list keep track of your formal or informal mentors or executive sponsors. This list includes people at all levels, who share a common desire to grow and learn and who offer you constructive feedback. Meet with them periodically to elicit their suggestions. Separately, keep track of those you mentor, and check in on their progress.

Stakeholder List: Include all the professionals whom you are networking with and the key conversation points. Revisit this list before any meetings and/or calls and review often to reset priorities.

Life can be busy, but these three simple lists can keep you firmly pointed toward your North Star.

For more information, see Becoming a Public Company Director (Amazon, Barnes, iBookstore $9.99)

With 332 million users and two people joining a second, LinkedIn is the top-of-mind network for professionals looking to advance their careers. LinkedIn offers five significant opportunities to expand your network that save time and escalate your visibility – marketing, branding, networking, communicating and researching people. Below are three areas to focus your efforts:

Compose: Use the tools LinkedIn provides to share your expertise. For written work, use the Long-form Post feature and start discussions in groups with board-level discussions. To showcase your materials on your profile, use the LinkedIn Professional Portfolio capabilities to upload media or point to websites that include:

• Examples of your work
• Written or video testimonials
• Presentations you have made

Connect: Add connections consistently and strategically. Target the people you want to connect with and the groups you want to join. LinkedIn now limits the number of searches you can do each month so be thoughtful by using key words such as board of directors, independent directors and CEO. (As of the writing of this post, the number of searches allowed has not been disclosed).

Consistency: Consistency is one of the cornerstones of a successful marketing strategy on LinkedIn. By coordinating your efforts, you can amplify your message and reach a much larger audience. This can be done by using the appropriate keywords in your written material and branding statements that are in keeping with your board-level value proposition. You can also leverage group activities by posting and commenting within your brand.

Interested in more information? Join us Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. PT, for an in-depth webinar titled “Edge Up YOUR LinkedIn Presence to Gain That Corporate Board Seat.” 

A great resource for director candidates is an ebook: Becoming a Public Company Director: Social Media Strategies (Amazon, Barnes, iBookstore $9.99).

1. Tie your strengths to accomplishments. First prioritize your strengths in relationship to a board seat. Then, show progress over your career of how you matured in the areas that are part of your board-level value proposition.
2. Get recommendations that speak to your strengths. Leverage the experience of top-level executives to enhance your network. If you presented to boards or worked with board committees, this is the very best place to ask for a recommendation.
3. List your promotions. Throughout your career you have moved up the ladder. Highlight this with bullets in each position. This should also include your non-profit work.
4. Use keywords in the title line. You are allowed 100 characters in your experience titles. Use all the space by adding keywords. For a CIO you might list: CIO, Technology Strategist and CEO Advisor.
5. Define and use keywords. Use keywords from your board-level value proposition. Be sure to use your most important keywords numerous times. This will optimize your chances to be found when searches are done.

Interested in more information? Join us Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. PT, for an in-depth webinar titled “Edge Up YOUR LinkedIn Presence to Gain That Corporate Board Seat.”