That very same month, Shurts joined his first personal board, for a third-generation household import and distribution enterprise. “In contrast to the general public firm boards, this isn’t a fiduciary board as a result of the household decides what to do with the cash,” he says. “However aside from that, the board has the identical position as public firm boards.” 

Since then, Shurts has added two extra personal boards to his plate, which he enjoys as a result of, “personal boards could be extra enjoyable than public boards; there’s much less forms,” he says. 

Recommendation for locating a board seat

With all of this board expertise, Shurts can supply some recommendation to CIOs searching for board work. First, given that almost all board appointments come by way of your community, “let the folks in your networks, and particularly people who find themselves on boards, know of your intent,” he says. “And that features the board of your present firm.” 

However earlier than you begin calling folks, resolve what sort of board you need to be a part of, whether or not public or personal, and in what trade. “I’ve spent nearly my total profession in meals, and my boards are both meals distribution, grocery, or logistics,” he says. “I don’t know if I might have joined a board in an unrelated trade.” 

Additionally, put collectively your board bio, which could be very totally different from a resume. Relatively than a chronological listing of your experiences, your board bio is a one-page doc that, in a only a few paragraphs, presents a strategic view of your expertise.

Shurts means that when writing your board bio you learn the board part of some company annual reviews. These usually have a board matrix with dots subsequent to the experience areas that every board member checks off. “You’ll by no means get a board place if the one field you possibly can verify is expertise or cyber,” says Shurts, “Ensure your board bio demonstrates experience in a number of packing containers, like finance, provide chain, worldwide expertise, or M&A. The broader set of experiences you possibly can characterize in your bio, the higher.”