If you've ever been curious about board roles - getting your first one, making it work, or eventually sitting in the chair - this episode is worth your time.


Whether you're a senior leader thinking about a portfolio career, or you're already on boards and wondering what the next step looks like, the world of non-executive directorships and chairing is one that very few people explain clearly. Most people learn by doing. That means most people make avoidable mistakes.


Lisa Tennant has been working in a portfolio career for 17 years. She chairs the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the NHS Pension Scheme for England and Wales, and through the Chair Circle she works with current and aspiring chairs. She's done over a hundred board interviews and received feedback on every one she didn't get.


In this episode we cover what it actually takes to get on a board, what distinguishes a great board member from the chair's perspective, and why the chair role is far more demanding than most people expect.


Three things we explored:


✳️ Your board brand matters more than your CV. The board recruitment market is competitive, and a generic pitch won't land. The people who get roles can clearly articulate what problem they solve for that specific board - which requires research, positioning, and a willingness to niche down.


✳️ The chair role is not a step up from board member - it's a different job. Lisa talks about moving from board member to chair and realising the full scope and weight of the role. The buck stops with the chair, and at times the pressure is comparable to a full executive role.


✳️ Trust is the thread that holds everything together. Whether it's the board-CEO relationship, the dynamic between board members, or the chair's ability to lead - nothing functions without it. Building trust deliberately is the chair's primary responsibility, in and out of the boardroom.


Lisa's Amplifiers:


✳️ Read The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch. Apply it to your strategy, your annual review, and your decisions. If you can only do three things, which ones give you the most leverage?


✳️ Simplify your choices with one clear rule. Lisa cut out processed carbs and reversed pre-diabetes. The principle is the same as 80/20 - one rule that removes decision fatigue and gives you the most impact for the least effort.


✳️ Put people first - at work and at home. In the boardroom, nothing happens without trust, and trust only comes from genuinely prioritising the people around you. Outside work, the same applies. The relationships in your life matter more than the career.


If this conversation sparked something, follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don't miss a week.


Connect with Lisa on Linkedin. (LinkedIn: tennantlisa)


Timestamps:


[00:00] Introduction


[01:39] Lisa Tennant - portfolio career and the Chair Circle


[03:01] Who should be thinking about board roles


[07:42] Executive boards vs advisory boards


[09:09] What boards are looking for in candidates


[11:45] Board brand and the elevator pitch


[15:38] Why rejection is part of the process


[16:52] How much operational work do board roles involve


[19:24] Due diligence before you accept a board role


[23:06] Is it easy money - setting expectations


[25:48] What makes a great board member


[28:11] What does a dysfunctional chair look like


[30:46] The chair-CEO relationship


[34:40] Amplifier 1 - The 80/20 Principle


[37:09] Amplifier 2 - One simple dietary rule


[38:21] Amplifier 3 - People first