For many years the public company boardroom was best described as staid. The factors that
created this reflected the former business environment that was not faced with the amount of
disruptive changes, regulation, and shareholder activism companies face in the 21st century.
Today, we are seeing a number of changes, including more rigorous director selection, and the
director who is past his or her sell-by date will not be placed on a board. As corporate boards
become modern and progressive they are open to more diverse sources of director candidates.
This change translates into a window of opportunity for those seeking to get on a board,
ultimately making the candidate selection process increasingly competitive. The savvy board
candidate must know exactly how he or she will add value to a board and present that at the
interviews in a clear, concise manner. To highlight the importance of this, ask yourself this
question: If you can’t ace the interview, how will the directors feel about having you on the
board? You may very well be board ready and qualified to be on the board, but not firing on all
cylinders during the interview will diminish your chances of gaining a board seat. First
impressions count immensely!

Being an outstanding candidate in a director interview takes dedicated work and effort, and
comes with a fair amount of stress. For some, the interview and selection process can be
categorically intimidating. Think about preparing for a board interview in the same way you
would for a TED Talk. If you don’t know your stuff cold, it will be the kiss of death. It is
imperative that the candidate have a relevance telescope that highlights what really matters and
creates a successful director interview presence.

Below are a few “ insider” tips that make for some of the best communication and deadliest mistakes.

Do present well-constructed ideas of how you would add value to the board using phrases like, “I may be able to help here,” or “You might consider the idea of my expertise on the board in this way.”
Don’t lecture and make outright statements about how you think the board should operate.

Do maintain a balance of exchange in the interviews.
Don’t talk excessively or to the point you are dominating the conversation, unless asked.

Do state a few highpoints about the company that made an impression on you.
Don’t lavish too much praise about the company.

Do draw on specific, related experience working on other boards and committees.
Don’t overstate the value of your work on non-profit boards.
​
Do demonstrate your willingness and readiness for the pressures of hard work.
Don’t overstate the operational role, as the board has a tone and tenure that is unique.

Interviewing for a board seat is like no other interview. 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. At the time of this writing, there are few publications, if any, that address the needs of director candidates in an interview process. My new eBook Becoming a Public Company Director: Interview Strategies offers key insights that can be applied to the director search interview process.
 

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.