The company’s board has to be convinced that the new employee is a good match for the company before they can www.boardthrough.com/tips-to-guide-you-in-your-corporate-board-seat-interview/ approve the appointment. This is why the interview is a crucial element of the process.
Board members want to hear the candidates discuss their capabilities and experiences that make them well qualified for the position, with a focus on the value they can offer. Often, the interviewers will ask questions to evaluate the candidate’s capacity to comprehend the complex and sometimes difficult issues that arise as an officer.
As a result, they will also want to understand how the candidate deals with conflict and how they are able to communicate with other board members in a respectful manner. It is also typical for boards to ask the candidate how they would handle specific issues, such as shareholder engagement, potential conflicts of interest and the need to ensure that the business is operating in a responsible and ethical manner.
Companies often provide candidates with a list of documents to read before the interview. It takes more than just a glance to gain an understanding of the company and its current board of directors and C-suite executives, industry dynamics, and key risks. The best method of preparation is listening to CEO conversations with analysts and investors as per Deb DeHaas, the two-time public company board member and chief executive officer of the Corporate Leadership Center. She also says it’s essential for candidates to be able and articulate the reasons why the company or its product, or the challenges it faces are intriguing to them and how their experiences could help them solve those problems.