How do I access board roles?

The majority of board roles still go through word of mouth. To access them, you have to continuously develop your board-level network. But not all networking is equal. In this article, we aggregate tips on how to network effectively.

Who do I need to network with? 

Informal contacts 

"Largely that happened through my own personal contacts and my own networks rather than the more formal approach. It's largely about relationships with people: knowing why other people are in that boardroom, knowing what skills and experience they might bring. If you challenge things, don't accept the status quo, and bring a different perspective, people tend to feel you could contribute." Malcolm John, Founder of Action for Trustee Racial Diversity and Acting CEO of Board Racial Diversity UK

Weak ties 

"A lot of us assume that our closest friends and colleagues are very important to obtain career related help. But the research shows that it's actually those more casual acquaintances, the people that you don't talk to all the time, that can be super valuable. Because these weak ties often bring in fresh information and opportunities that your immediate circle might miss." Professor Isabel Fernandez-Mateo, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School

Dormant connections 

"These are people you used to be close with, but you have not interacted with in a while. Research shows that reconnecting with these people can be incredibly valuable. Because you used to have a strong bond, there is already trust and that shared history. And while you have been out of touch, they have had time to gather new experiences and insights that can be helpful. Every couple of months, I try to make myself reach out to somebody who I haven't spoken with two or three years and just see how they're doing. It's incredibly helpful. You never know what you're going to get." Professor Isabel Fernandez-Mateo, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School

Headhunters 

 "What can you do that you can control that gets your probability up? Develop a relationship with headhunters. Make sure they know you, make sure they have your current CV, make sure they know you're in the market, make sure they can easily access what your particular spikes are, what you would bring to the table. You do have to work to make sure you're on people's radars. That increases the probability game." Cathy Turner, NED at Lloyds Banking Group PLC, Rentokil PLC and Spectris PLC, Partner at Manchester Square Partners

What mindset should I bring to networking? 

Pay it forward 

"When you're developing a portfolio, your brand is you. So you really have to spend time building your network - really building and adding value to relationships around you. Maybe I spent too much time in California, but I think [you need to do] that Californian thing and pay it forward, be a valuable asset to the broader ecosystem around you, because at some point karma will work out and something will come back your way." Priya Guha, Merian Ventures Venture Partner, Herald Investment Trust NED, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Chair 

Don’t wait to be asked 

"It's not just a question of applying, it's taking time out to talk to senior people and saying ‘look, this is my experience. This is what I can do. I just want to flag it, just in case, one day, you might think it's something that is valuable for service delivery. I think it really is worthwhile having your name on the radar. Just remember, nobody knows what you do because everyone's busy.  If you’re interested, put up your hand and say, 'I'm interested.'" Nadhim Zahawi, former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Founder of YouGov

Take a structured approach 

"Go and meet an awful lot of people, drink an awful lot of coffee. I have been almost military in the way I’ve gone about planning this in the past. I would book three days in London in my diary. And I would spend the preceding three weeks booking appointments, literally stacking my day with meetings and calls.” Andrew Tyler, Portfolio PE Chair

Manage expectations

"Don't embark on a plural career if you're not in it for the medium to long term, because it is a build. It doesn't matter how brilliant you are — it's not going to happen immediately. It can take six months, it can take 12 months. And it is like the buses — nothing comes, and then three arrive at once." Cathy Turner, NED at Lloyds Banking Group PLC, Rentokil PLC and Spectris PLC, Partner at Manchester Square Partners

Perform 

"Most of my roles since then were through referral and recommendation. One needs to work very hard in every role because you never know what conversations are taking place about you somewhere. And people do report back. Those early roles all quite quickly precipitated nearly all of my other roles." Sarah Flannigan, Chair of Bionic, Yeo Valley, Riverford Organic Farmers and Sawdays, Senior Advisor at OMERS Private Equity