Look Beyond Titles When Recruiting Directors — Tonie Leatherberry
Tonie Leatherberry, a passionate and invested leader, wrote an article Look Beyond Titles When Recruiting Directors, which was published in the ‘NACD Directorship’ Magazine in the September/October 2020 issue.
Tonie’s achievements have been widely recognized. She has been named to Consulting Magazine’s list of the top 25 consultants globally, the NACD Directorship 100, and Black Enterprise’s Most Powerful Women in Business. She is also a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society.
All of Tonie’s professional experiences make her opinions on this topic extremely valuable.
You can read the original article here, or read excerpts below.
“Landmark events of 2020 have ignited a consciousness of systemic racism and social injustice that has heightened and sharpened focus on diversifying the workforce at all levels of the corporation — including the board. However, turning intention to increase diversity of gender, race, and ethnicity into action is where some boards may struggle.”
“Consider these additional approaches to identify diverse board candidates:
- Broaden where you look. Too often boards look among themselves for referrals. Challenge board members to look outside their traditional recruiting networks.
- Build relationships with diverse candidates before needs arise. Experienced directors can identify and mentor executives from underrepresented groups who have the potential for board service.
- Consider how the board and its nominating and governance committee can hold themselves accountable for approaching director recruitment in new and bold ways. That may require stepping outside of comfort zones and adopting new habits.”
“Boards that look beyond the C-suite to deepen the director candidate pool may ultimately benefit from the fresh thinking, stronger governance, and better business outcomes that greater diversity provides.”
