Before you spend a cent on a governance course, print new business cards, or start calling yourself a board director, stop and ask yourself one critical question: Have I validated that I am truly board-ready?
Every week, I speak to executives who have been told by colleagues or well-meaning mentors, “You’d be great on a board.” But having potential and being a strong candidate for a board appointment are two very different things. The reality is, many people are entering the board market without ever checking if they meet the core criteria that Chairs and search firms are looking for.
Earlier this week, I read about an entrepreneur who spent hundreds of millions launching a business that ultimately failed. Why? Because he didn’t test or validate the market need before going all-in. That story struck a chord with me because I see a similar mistake happening in the board world. Too many people are diving into the board space without first validating their own credentials, capabilities, and strategic value.
In Australia’s competitive board landscape, validation means more than optimism or ambition. It means having a well-rounded executive background, an ability to manage risk, and a track record of contributing at a strategic level in complex environments.
As the Governance Institute of Australia puts it, “Boards require directors to bring professional judgement, executive leadership, and ethical courage to navigate ambiguity and complexity.” Those qualities come from deep experience, not just coursework or intent.
Here are three key questions every aspiring board member should ask themselves before they start applying:
- Have I led at the C-Suite or Executive Director level? Simply attending board meetings or being exposed to strategy discussions doesn’t mean you’ve owned the outcomes. Board directors are expected to bring lived experience in leadership and decision-making at the top level.
- Have I directly managed risk, compliance, and accountability? If you haven’t held fiduciary responsibilities, signed off on financials, managed regulatory exposure, or led through governance complexity, then your readiness will be questioned.
- Have I contributed to strategy execution at scale? Not just written the plan, but delivered on it, adjusted it in real-time, and responded to market shifts with agility and discipline.
If you’re answering “no” or “not really” to any of these, that’s not a deal-breaker — but it does mean you need a more deliberate strategy. That could include seeking advisory roles, joining incubators or accelerators, or pursuing board roles in smaller or founder-led companies where you can build credibility over time.
Another major red flag is when people assume that a course or qualification will open boardroom doors. Many are led to believe that completing a short governance program and adding a post-nominal like GAICD will be enough. It is not. The qualification is useful to complement real-world experience, but it will never replace it.
As I often tell candidates, you cannot buy credibility. You build it.
And one more word of caution — be careful where you seek advice. Some providers in this space will promise board roles in exchange for hefty course fees or memberships. Others will sell the dream of a portfolio career without grounding it in the harsh reality of the competition, the complexity of modern governance, or the skills required to thrive in the role.
My strongest recommendation is to seek feedback from an independent board recruiter or someone who has a track record of placing directors in real-world roles. Ask them this: “Would you recommend me for a board appointment today? If not, what do I need to address?”
That feedback may not always be easy to hear, but it is invaluable.
At the end of the day, the boardroom is not a training ground. It’s a place where decisions impact real people, real capital, and real consequences. If you want to be there, you need to bring more than ambition — you need to bring verified capability.
So, before you elevate your brand as a board director, validate that the substance matches the story.
That’s how you build a board career with integrity and impact.