How to Get on a Corporate Board: The One Question That Makes or Breaks a Board Career

When executives start exploring board service, the first thing they usually focus on is tactics: 

Who do I talk to? 

What should my board bio look like? 

Where do board roles even get posted?

But in my recent conversation with Naomi Kent, founder of The Boardroom Co. and my co-author on Wanted →  A Board Career, she emphasized something far more foundational that quietly determines whether any of those tactics will work:

Your “why.”

Naomi has spent more than two decades inside the board ecosystem, helping leaders understand how boards operate and what separates serious board candidates from well-meaning executives who never get traction. She says the board journey often begins—or ends—with one question.

“Why do you want to serve on a board?”

It sounds simple. Almost casual. But in board conversations, this question isn’t small talk; it’s a credibility check and a litmus test.

Naomi has heard every version of the wrong answer, including:

• “I’m ready to get paid for my experience.”

• “I have time now.”

• “I’m bored” 

• “My wife says I need something to do in retirement”

• “I’ve done nonprofits wo now I want a corporate board.”

And while people may laugh at some of those lines, they signal exactly what boards don’t want: a candidate whose motivation is centered on themselves, not on the work of governance.

What Boards Do Want to Hear

Strong board candidates anchor their “why” in purpose and contribution, not in need.

Over years of working inside the board ecosystem, Naomi has seen a consistent pattern for those who thrive in board service: They aren’t trying to prove anything anymore. They’re not chasing a corner office or clinging to a title.

They’re drawn to boardrooms for reasons like:

• Purpose and contribution: a desire to guide and give back to the next generation of leadership

• Intellectual challenge: staying in the game without being consumed by it

• Oversight: wanting to help leaders see around corners while remaining out of daily operations

• Being “in it, but not in it”: serving to be close enough to influence strategy, far enough to preserve perspective

The phrase Naomi uses is, “in the game, but not in the game,” captures the heart of board service.

How your “Why” Helps You Find the Right Board Fit 

Naomi also emphasized that not all boards are the same, and a strong “why” helps executives avoid chasing the wrong opportunities.

Public company boards, private company boards, nonprofit boards, private equity–backed boards, and family-owned business boards all value different experiences, language, and dynamics. Fit matters for long-term effectiveness.

A clear motivation helps determine:

• which boards make sense

• how to position experience

• which conversations to prioritize

• when to say no

Your “why” becomes the filter that guides your board strategy. 

Board Service After a Layoff: A Long-Term Strategy, Not a Quick Fix

With the horrific job market, executives ask both Naomi and me daily: “Can board service replace full-time work after a layoff?”

Naomi encourages exploration but emphasizes expectation management.

If a board opportunity is already in front of you, it may make sense to pursue it. But starting a board career from scratch rarely produces immediate results. Building board credibility, governance experience, and trusted relationships in board circles often takes time.

One thing we both know for certain because we hear it constantly from executives: 

They wish they had started earlier.

Board readiness compounds. The earlier someone begins learning the board landscape, gaining governance exposure, and positioning intentionally, the less they’re competing later against candidates with years of board experience.

…

To hear more insights from Naomi, learn the first simple step to start your board career and the most common mistake prospective board members make when starting their board search, tune into the full episode of How to Land a Board Seat: Naomi Kent on The Mindset, Strategy, and Long Game Most Executives Miss on Work Unscripted.  

And don’t forget to pick up a copy of Wanted → A Board Career wherever books are sold.