Leave ego at door and be ‘firm but kind’ if you want non-exec role, recruiters told
17 October 2013
Looking to become a non-executive director in the next step of your career? If so, consider some of the characteristics that a non-executive director should have...
Thu, 17 Oct 2013
Looking to become a non-executive director in the next step of your career?
If so, consider some of the characteristics that a non-executive director (NED) should have: independence of mind, experience in a particular market, contacts that can open doors for the business and the ability to “challenge firmly but kindly”, according to the publisher of the Financial Times Non-Executive Directors’ Club.
And perhaps most important of all, “There is no place for ego. You’re there as part of a team; you’re not there to make yourself look good,” Stephenson warned at a Recruitment Society event in London this week.
Stephenson was addressing the theme of recruiting better boards and the importance of non-executive directors. Post-recession, boards and NEDs are under increased scrutiny from the public as well as regulators.
However, she acknowledged that “no doubt there are still some dinosaurs out there,” and old boys’ clubs continue to influence many board appointments.
Fellow speaker, Peter Whitehead, editor of the FT’s Executive Appointments section and the Non-Executive Directors’ Club, agreed, saying: “Fresh faces are needed in the boardroom.”
Part of the problem in bringing in those fresh faces, he said, is “the clubbiness” and the “identikit” NEDs that land on boards. “Greater transparency around recruitment and nominations would help,” he said.
While many UK businesspeople aspire to a portfolio career of holding several NED roles for different organisations, Stephenson and Whitehead urged potential NEDs to limit the number of such roles they take on. “It would be hard to be on more than three or four boards,” Whitehead said.
Time constraints alone are one reason. While a role may be advertised as requiring two days a month, the actual time necessary to do the job well is often more, Stephenson said.
Looking to become a non-executive director in the next step of your career?
If so, consider some of the characteristics that a non-executive director (NED) should have: independence of mind, experience in a particular market, contacts that can open doors for the business and the ability to “challenge firmly but kindly”, according to the publisher of the Financial Times Non-Executive Directors’ Club.
And perhaps most important of all, “There is no place for ego. You’re there as part of a team; you’re not there to make yourself look good,” Stephenson warned at a Recruitment Society event in London this week.
Stephenson was addressing the theme of recruiting better boards and the importance of non-executive directors. Post-recession, boards and NEDs are under increased scrutiny from the public as well as regulators.
However, she acknowledged that “no doubt there are still some dinosaurs out there,” and old boys’ clubs continue to influence many board appointments.
Fellow speaker, Peter Whitehead, editor of the FT’s Executive Appointments section and the Non-Executive Directors’ Club, agreed, saying: “Fresh faces are needed in the boardroom.”
Part of the problem in bringing in those fresh faces, he said, is “the clubbiness” and the “identikit” NEDs that land on boards. “Greater transparency around recruitment and nominations would help,” he said.
While many UK businesspeople aspire to a portfolio career of holding several NED roles for different organisations, Stephenson and Whitehead urged potential NEDs to limit the number of such roles they take on. “It would be hard to be on more than three or four boards,” Whitehead said.
Time constraints alone are one reason. While a role may be advertised as requiring two days a month, the actual time necessary to do the job well is often more, Stephenson said.
