Board Branding/Career Pivot Coach | Former Co-Chair Boardroom Ready at Women In Bio.
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When you are a first-time board candidate, you need to shift your focus from "I am an operator" to "I am an advisor/guide." What got you here won’t get you there; you need to pivot/reposition. But how?
Think of your “why,” as Simon Sinek famously said. As a marketing professor and board diversity advocate, here is a values-driven approach I use with my board candidates called the Personal Branding Wheel. In this step-by-step iterative process, start with defining your core values. Just as brands like Apple and Nike have core values like “innovation” or “pursuit of excellence,” board candidates need to re-evaluate what makes them motivated to show up professionally for themselves and for their new boards.
1. Align: Define Your Why
Here are a few steps to begin defining your why and your core values.
• Reflect on your personal core values for wanting to serve on a board and determine what principles guide your actions and decisions.
• Clarify which values are most important to you and align them with how you will make the most impact as a board member.
With that information, examine your current brand and compare that to your aspirational brand.
2. Ambition: Define Your What
Now, you can start to craft your leadership brand statement. Develop a clear and concise statement that reflects your core values, strengths and leadership style. It should convey who you are as a leader and how you want to be perceived by others.
Seek feedback from your friends and colleagues and start to let them know that you are pursuing a board role. Next, give them a preview of your “Why” and brand statement. Then, start collecting stories that can validate the values you’ve highlighted.
As a final step, ensure your leadership brand statement is authentic, memorable and aligned with your personal values.
3. Approach: Prepare And Promote Your Brand
One common mistake candidates make is self-promoting without being prepared to explain the benefits of their personal brands. Effectively communicating the why and the what of your brand can bring more visibility to the board selection committees as well as to your referral network.
After aligning your motivational values and defining what you can achieve, you can then focus on the positioning strategy to promote your board leadership brand.
4. Activate And Amplify
Next, activate your strategic network of sponsors, allies and champions (your referral network) to let them know you are pursuing board roles. In addition to asking for their consideration, seek out feedback on specific examples that highlight your strengths such as governance and big-picture thinking. Amplification can begin with leveraging referrals, speaking and publishing, as well as social media.
5. Align With Community, Industry And Organizations
Demonstrating your leadership brand consistently with future boards in mind is critical in this final step. Here you are working toward articulating why your brand makes sense for the organization you are about to join. Whether one starts with community nonprofit boards, industry-wide advisory groups or advisory boards for startups, these steps can help hone your board service skill set while continuing to refine your brand.
Lastly, since this process is repeatable, be sure to return to the first step and refer to those important self-identified values as the keys to holding yourself accountable.
In summary, aligning your board brand and intrinsic core values can establish a strong North Star for your boardroom journey. Staying true to your purpose and guiding principles can help you gain trust, inspire others and make a positive impact as a board leader.
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