My "Why" For Board Service

The other day my 3-year-old daughter wanted to hang out with her dad. This happened to be during an 8:00 am board meeting for a regional transportation service that I sit on. I am fortunate that I have great support and child care. That didn't matter this time, she just wanted to be with me. So, I did something that some people would find unprofessional, I took her with me to the meeting. Before we went in, we had an agreement that she had to sit quietly, eat her snacks and play on her tablet in the chair behind me in the conference room. Although my daughter is young, she has been attending community meetings and board meetings with my wife and I since she was a baby. During the meeting, one of the directors had to leave early and the seat opened up next to me. She quietly got my attention and asked if she could sit in the seat next to me. She did what I asked which is sit in the chair, eat her apple and play games on her tablet next to my tablet. She looked across the room at other board members as they spoke at times and then she went back to her tablet as she was trying to be engaged in the conversation. My daughter touched my heart more than she knows because she brought me additional clarity on why I choose to serve on boards and looking to serve on private and corporate boards.?

These are some of my reflections from my daughter visit to the board table:?

1. Although my daughter is young, she could only get access to the board table because I was there. I’m reminded that some people will only make it to the board, because of those currently on the board. We need to invite new people into the room not the same people in the room. This truly is what it means to create an environment of diversity, equity and inclusion. I lost out on a recent corporate board opportunity and the only thing that separated me from the other candidate was that I didn’t have? corporate board experience on a scoring matrix and it came down to last points. People will never get experience unless you invite them in.??
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for an open seat. Although it may not be common for someone her age to be at the table, there was an open seat. Don’t be afraid to let people know you’re interested. Closed mouths very rarely get fed.??
3. She watched me at the board table and very quickly learned how to adapt to her surroundings. She set her tablet up like mine and listened to people as they spoke. Mentorship in the boardroom is critical no matter what level we're at. Younger board members are able to adapt to the surroundings of the room. We have younger professionals with great skills that could be very helpful. As seasoned board members don't forget someone is always watching and emulating us. We have to be conscious of what we are teaching at the table to the next generation of leaders.??
4. My daughter asks great questions. She asked where we were going, wanted to know what they were talking about and how she could help. A diversity of age brings a diversity of thought that you can’t be taken for granted because the world is changing very quickly. I know a gentleman that only reads newspapers for news but served on a few corporate boards. However, most people know that information that are in printed papers are already outdated by the time you get them.??
5. I also saw my legacy sitting next to me at the table, which reminded me that every decision I make affects her future, the shareholders and the employees. Board members must always think about the gravity of decision making. Numbers are people and with my finance background I bring those things together.?
6. I bring a perspective of living in the now, focusing on the future but being a student of the past.?
7. Don’t forget why we are at the table. We're not only at the table to provide good governance and oversight for the shareholders, CEO and the executive team, but we’re also here to serve our communities.?

I have been an entrepreneur and serving on private, government, nonprofit boards and also as an advisor to major corporations and foundations for over 15 years. I’ll never be an expert at this board stuff because I’m always learning more. A mentor told me the day you think you have the world figured is the day that you should be the most afraid. We can’t get so comfortable that we?don’t make space for the now and?future. I know exactly why I am at the board table because it aligns with my life purpose. ?