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The Importance of Asking Questions Before You Join a Board

August 1, 2014 By Susan Gunelius

As a board consultant, I have heard a number of stories from first-time directors who gained a board seat only to discover troubling issues ‘after’ accepting the board position.

The single most important task before you join a board is due diligence. Instead of merely examining the rewards of board service, a board candidate needs to explore both the risks and rewards.

In a world marked by disruptive forces, sharp scrutiny, and tighter board accountability, wise director candidates must ask more questions.

Whether you are considering a for-profit, non-profit, government, or advisory board seat, examining both the risks and rewards in a systematic fashion sets the groundwork for a thoughtful career move.

Not everything that glitters is gold!

Susan Gunelius

Susan Gunelius is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Women on Business. She is a 30-year veteran of the marketing field and has authored a dozen books about marketing, branding, and social media, including the highly popular Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing, 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing for Dummies, Blogging All-in-One for Dummies and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. Susan’s marketing-related content can be found on Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, and more. Susan is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She has worked in corporate marketing roles and through client relationships with AT&T, HSBC, Citibank, Intuit, The New York Times, Cox Communications, and many more large and small companies around the world. Susan also speaks about marketing, branding and social media at events around the world and is frequently interviewed by television, online, radio, and print media organizations about these topics. She holds an MBA in Management and Strategy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and is a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).

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