You're working 50 hours a week, managing a team, and smashing your corporate KPIs. But you're also looking up at the Boardroom and thinking, 'I think I'm ready for that next strategic step.'

So, when is the right time to pull the trigger and start a Board Career?

This episode breaks down the why, the where, and the how of balancing Board service with a full-time career. Whether you're early in your professional life or mid-to-late stage and wondering what comes next after executive life, the reality is that the best time to start working on your governance goals is right now, even in the midst of life and work.

What You'll Learn:

• The Power of Compounding Experience: Why treating your governance journey like a savings account that builds interest over time puts you in a highly competitive position later in your Board Career.
• The Career Boost: How the exposure to strategic oversight, risk management, and macro-industry insights gained around a table directly enhances your day-to-day executive leadership.
• Finding Accessible Entry Points: How to identify realistic grassroots opportunities, such as local sports clubs, community groups, and small NFPs, that match your capacity and welcome first-time Board Members.
• The Vocation Mindset: Why you must approach every single position with the same rigor and dedication as a listed company role, rather than treating it like a casual side quest.
• Managing Conflicts of Interest: Practical strategies for aligning with your current employer, protecting transparency, and ensuring you have the full capacity to govern effectively.

Lisa's Time Management Playbook:

Balancing a demanding day job with governance requires ruthless organisation and discipline. Here are the practical tips shared in this episode to help you protect your time and your mental bandwidth:

• Plan Far Ahead: Ensure the entire year of Board Meetings is scheduled by September or October of the previous year so you can book preparation time well in advance.
• Enforce Pack Hygiene: Maintain strict rules around meeting pack distribution, ensuring all papers are sent out at least one week ahead of schedule.
• Protect Preparation Time: Set up dedicated blocks to review papers early enough to research, digest, and submit questions to relevant stakeholders before the meeting starts.
• Overestimate Needed Capacity: Give yourself a buffer for larger-than-usual packs, and leave yourself enough mental bandwidth to think clearly, stay effective, and enjoy proper downtime.

This Week's Challenge:

Stop waiting for the perfect moment; it does not exist! Look around your local community, sport, or industry sector this week. Where can you raise your hand, step up, and offer your expertise and contribution to an organisation that genuinely needs your skills?

Links and Resources:

• Visit the Get on Board Australia website to discover tools and strategies to help you navigate the hidden market and win at the Board game.
• Explore entry-level governance advertisements and volunteer opportunities via GoVolunteer.com.au or LinkedIn.
• Connect with Lisa Cook on LinkedIn to receive insights on how you can secure your first, next, or paid Board role.

Are you tired of waiting for the perfect Board role to appear in an email alert? In this conversation, take a peek behind the corporate veil to understand the hidden mechanics of Board recruitment. Explore why the Board marketplace is a "buyer's market," the truth behind the tiny fraction of roles that are ever advertised, and why the process often takes months longer than a standard executive hire.

Key Takeaways

• The Math of Limited Opportunity: With the average ASX 300 Board consisting of just 6.2 members and utilising staggered terms, many Boards only have one vacancy per year. When an eligible incumbent stands for re-election, that 'open' seat often remains occupied, making the Board game a true numbers game.
• The "What" Before the "Who": A Board recruitment process starts long before a candidate is ever seen. Using the Board Skills Matrix, the Nominations Committee identifies specific gaps (e.g., a CPA with regional manufacturing experience). If you don't fit the "What" they've already decided on, your brilliance as a "Who" is secondary.
• The Deluge and the Gatekeeper: Most Boards avoid public advertisements to bypass the flood of unqualified applications. Instead, they rely on known quantities and search firms. In this ecosystem, a recruiter's primary job is risk mitigation; they are looking for reasons to say "no" so the Board only sees the final "yes" candidates.
• The 'Staging' Mandate in a Buyer's Market: Because the supply of talent far outweighs the demand for seats, Board holds all the leverage. To win, the candidate (the 'Seller') must spend significant energy on staging their professional 'product' by ensuring their Unique Board Value Proposition is undeniable.
• Substance vs. Charisma: There is a fundamental difference between member-elected roles (which often resemble a popularity contest) and skills-based appointments. Understanding which game you're playing dictates whether your campaign skills or your substantive governance value will do the heavy lifting.
• The Reality of the Two-Year Timeline: Securing a Board seat is a 'job to get a job'. Between the six-month recruitment cycles and the strategic positioning required, aspiring Board Members should prepare for a persistence-driven journey that can often take up to two years.

Episode Timeline

• [00:00] Intro: Moving beyond the 'advertisement' strategy and understanding the hidden market.
• [01:23] The Math of the 'One Seat' Renewal: Why the average Board size and incumbent re-elections limit total opportunities.
• [04:15] Excess Capacity: How to leverage non-traditional expertise (like AI Governance) to join a Board that isn't actively recruiting.
• [05:34] The 6-Month Delay: A look at the business-as-usual activities and internal crises that can push recruitment to the backburner.
• [10:14] Tip of the Iceberg: Why only 10% of roles reach the public and the truth behind 'legitimate' vs. 'required' advertisements.
• [14:52] Search Firms as Risk Managers: How search specialists vet databases for a 'perfect fit' before a role is ever advertised.
• [17:34] Appointments vs. Elections: Distinguishing between popularity contests and substance-driven appointments.
• [19:15] Closing: Why the Board game is a job to get a job, requiring patience and a 'staged' professional product.

Resources Mentioned

• Article: Developing your Unique Board Value Proposition
• Podcast: Understanding Your Unique Board Value Proposition
• Article: Positioning Yourself for a Board Role Using Your Board Resume
• Get on Board Australia: Explore resources and programs to help you secure your next seat.

Are you thinking about a Board career but feel you aren't quite ready to commit the time yet? You don't have to wait until you are ready to apply for roles to start building your Board profile.

In this episode, I discuss how you can leverage your current "professional career" (your day-to-day paid role) to develop the skills, networks, and reputation required to win at the Board game. These three proactive steps will enhance your professional growth today and your Board readiness for the future.

In this episode, I cover:

• 1. Developing Business Acumen: Moving beyond your specific job description to understand how your role helps the organisation achieve its strategic and financial objectives.
• 2. Building Your Financial Proficiency: Four practical ways to get "financially familiar" even without a finance background:
• Learning accounting basics (the "foundation of the house").
• Finding a financial mentor or shadowing your organisation's finance team.
• Asking the right questions during meetings to build comfort.
• Using "exposure therapy" via your own personal finances.
• 3. Investing in Your Network: The majority of Board roles are found in your network. Now is the time to build meaningful connections before you need them.
• 4. Designing Your Reputation Wake: Being proactive about the story your professional actions tell and how to consistently act in a way that reinforces your credibility.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• TED Talk: The career advice you probably didn't get – Susan Colantuano shares why business, strategic, and financial acumen are the "missing pieces" for many leaders.
• Harvard Business Review (free to subscribe): How to Improve Your Finance Skills (Even if you Hate Numbers) – simple steps to build your financial understanding.
• Video Guide (scroll to the bottom of the page): Using your personal bank statement to understand organisation financials – A simple way to start your financial literacy journey at home.
• Accounting Basics: I recommend picking up a first-year university accounting textbook to master double-entry bookkeeping and the basic accounting equation. Here's the one (most up-to-date version) I used in my undergrad business degree.

Connect with Get on Board Australia:

• Follow Lisa Cook on LinkedIn: @lisamcook
• Visit the Get on Board Australia Website: Get on Board Australia

"Leadership manifests at every level of the organisation." Even if you're early in your journey, being a leader now ensures you are an attractive Board candidate later.

Are you tired of playing a reactive game, waiting for the perfect advertisement to appear before you even think about your Board Resume? In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of the Strategic Board Resume, a proactive marketing tool designed to move you from the operational "doing" of your executive life to the strategic oversight required in the Boardroom.

We move past the historical autobiography that often plagues the resumes of aspiring Board Members and focus on how to build a document that signals your readiness for a Board seat, whether it's your first appointment or a transition into a paid portfolio career.

Inside This Episode:

• Defining "Strategic": Why a Strategic Board Resume is a document planned and conceived to achieve one specific objective: securing your Board role.
• The Fit-For-Purpose Filter: How to ensure your document talks directly to your target audience and leaves the irrelevant waffle behind.
• Your Board Story: The three critical questions you must answer before you start writing: Who are you talking to? Why them? And, why you?
• The Marketer Mindset: Why treating your Board Resume as marketing collateral, rather than a reactive response, is the ultimate differentiator in a crowded market.
• Overcoming the "Tyranny of Knowledge": Tips for translating your deep professional expertise into a high-impact Board value proposition that anyone can understand.

Craft Your Winning Board Resume

If you are ready to stop agonizing over your experience and start building a document that commands respect, join me for my upcoming free webinar. This is the perfect "entrée" to the Build Your Board Resume 8-week implementation container.

What we'll cover together:

• A section-by-section breakdown of a winning Board Resume template.
• How to apply the Board Story framework to your specific goals.
• Practical strategies to move past "blank page" procrastination.

Webinar Dates:

• Tuesday, 7 April or Wednesday, 8 April 2026 (Australia time).
• Register here: getonboardaustralia.com.au/boardresumewebinar

Resources Mentioned:

• Episode 138: Five Ways to Use Your Board Resume Beyond Responding to Advertisements
• Episode 103: Understanding your Unique Board Value Proposition
• Episode 98: The Ingredients of your Unique Board Value Proposition
• Build Your Board Resume: Doors officially open on Thursday, 9 April 2026 (join the waitlist).

Are you waiting for the perfect Board advertisement to appear before you touch your Board Resume? If so, you might be missing out on a whole lot of opportunities that your Board Resume can unlock.

In this episode, I dive into why a fit-for-purpose Board Resume is an essential piece of gear for your journey, regardless of whether you are responding to an advertisement. As I prepare for the 2026 launch of Build Your Board Resume, I share how to turn this document into a proactive marketing tool that works for you 24/7.

In this episode, I cover how your Board Resume can also function as:

• The Conversation Starter: How to use a Board Resume creation/overhaul as the perfect excuse to re-engage with mentors and Board Chairs for high-level feedback.
• The Leave-Behind: Why your Board Resume is actually marketing collateral that maintains your momentum long after a networking coffee is over.
• The Story-Teller: How to ensure your document tells a compelling "Board Story" even when you aren't there to present it yourself.
• The Board Career Helper: Strategic ways to use your Resume with search specialists, Board registers, and as a "featured" element on your LinkedIn profile.
• The Direct Approach: The refined chutzpah required to approach a Board directly with a compelling, tailored proposition.

Why your Board Resume needs a Strategic Overhaul:

A professional CV often fails in a Board context because it speaks to the wrong audience. If you want to elevate your Board career, your Resume must reflect that shift in level and perspective.

Take the Next Step Toward the Boardroom:

• Join the Priority Waitlist: Be the first to know when enrolment opens for our April/May 2026 intake. This 8-week implementation container is designed to get your Board Resume written and ready for action. Join Waitlist
• Save the Date: Enrolments for Build Your Board Resume officially open on 9 April 2026.
• Resources: Articles and Podcasts on Crafting a Winning Board Resume

Connect with Me:

• LinkedIn
• Website: Get on Board Australia

Ever felt like a total authority in your executive role, but like a complete fraud the moment you start working on your Board Resume?

In this episode, I'm joined by Mark Gregory, an experienced careers practitioner, to dismantle the "Successful Professional Paradox." We explore why even the most accomplished leaders often feel like a fraud when transitioning to the Boardroom and how your resume might be fuelling that fire.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Blank Page as a Mirror: Why starting your Board Resume from scratch acts as a psychological trigger for the inner critic, and how to stop the "compare and despair" cycle.
• Data vs. Emotion: How to use objective tools to ground your value. Mark explains why anchoring your identity in your natural strengths is the fastest way to silence Imposter Syndrome.
• The Identity Shift: Moving from the "Executive Ego" (what you do) to the "Director's Contribution" (who you are as a Board Member).
• The Permission Gap: Why many leaders wait for permission or another qualification before they feel Board-ready, and why a fit-for-purpose Board Resume is the permission slip you actually need.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Strengths Discovery: Take the VIA Character Strengths Assessment to identify your objective value markers.
• Demystifying the Machine: Read the article on ATS-compliant Resumes by Melita Long.
• Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: Follow for more insights on leadership and career transitions.

Join the Waitlist for Build Your Board Resume (April/May program starts Monday 13 April 2026)

If you have spent the last twelve months sending your CV into the void for advertised roles and hearing nothing back, it is time for a new approach.

In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on why the traditional job-hunting approach doesn't work for the Boardroom. I chat through the reality of the Hidden Board Market, where 90% of Board roles actually live, and introduce a brand-new vehicle to help you access it: the Build Your Board Career program.

Whether you are feeling frustrated by a lack of progress or standing at the very beginning of your journey wondering where to start, this episode breaks down the exact 12-week framework you need to stop playing the waiting game. We cover how to articulate your Unique Board Value Proposition, craft a strategic Board Resume, and build a networking plan that actually works.

In this episode, we cover:

• [00:59] Introduction: Why the "Seek Approach" is failing your Board search, and why starting from scratch can actually be a strategic advantage.
• [03:16] What is the Build Your Board Career program? How we combine online learning, live group sessions, and 1:1 support to help you get onto a Board.
• [03:49] The 12-Week Roadmap: Breaking down Month 1 (Your North Star), Month 2 (Your Board Resume & LinkedIn), and Month 3 (Your Network).
• [09:32] The Game Changer: Why ongoing, lifetime monthly 1:1 support is built into the program, so you never have to navigate the market alone.
• [10:22] The Investment: How much does the program cost? (Plus, details on the 50% Founding Member saving and the PayPal 'Pay in 4' option).
• [11:55] Who is this for? Who this program is suitable for, and why we champion "Directors with substance."
• [14:17] Immediate Access: What happens when you join, and when do you get access to the materials?
• [14:50] Buddy Sessions: How group buddies are assigned and how we match you strategically.
• [15:40] The Credential Question: Do you need to have your GAICD or another formal governance credential to join?
• [16:45] The Experience Question: Do you need to have previous Board experience?
• [17:31] The Location Question: Do you need to be based in Australia?
• [17:54] Taking Action: How to secure your spot before we officially kick off on Monday, 2 March.
• [18:57] Final Thoughts: The cost of inaction and why 2026 is your year to step up.

Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Secure your Founding Member spot in Build Your Board Career (50% Saving)
• Explore Get on Board Australia
• Have a question about the program? Send me an email to close any open loops before we kick off!

For many aspiring Board Members, "networking" is a dirty word. It conjures images of awkward cocktail parties, forced small talk, and the transactional exchange of business cards with no valuable follow through.

But if you want to access the 90% of Board roles that are never advertised, you cannot ignore your connections. You just need to change how you build them.

In this episode, I'm joined by Jerry Kleeman, a TEC Chair, executive mentor, and my husband. Jerry has spent decades building and nurturing a trusted network that returns quantifiable value to him and them.

In this conversation, Jerry dismantles the traditional idea of networking. He explains why most people fail because they focus on the activity rather than the asset, and shares why vulnerability, not bravado, is the key to building trust.

Key Takeaways:

• The Verb vs. The Noun: Jerry distinguishes between "networking" (the tiring, transactional activity) and "building a network" (the strategic asset).
• Trust the Process: You cannot build a network by accident. Jerry shares why you need a disciplined, systematic process to map your connections, nurture relationships, and track your progress; just like you would for any business project.
• Givers Gain (Be a Connector): The most effective networkers aren't the ones asking for favours; they are the ones connecting others. By adopting a "Givers Gain" mentality and asking "How can I help you?", you build a reservoir of goodwill that eventually flows back to you.
• Vulnerability is a Strength: Most candidates think they need to look perfect. Jerry argues that asking for specific advice or admitting you don't know the answer is actually a superpower; it flatters the listener and builds a deeper, more authentic connection.

Links & Resources Mentioned:

Free Webinar "How to Win at the Board Game"

Join me LIVE on Thursday, 19 February 2026 to learn how to turn your network into a Board search strategy.

• Bonus: Live attendees will get first access to the Founding Member Offer for the new Build Your Board Career program (50% off).

👉 Register for the Free Webinar Here

JOIN THE PROGRAM: Build Your Board Career

Ready to stop guessing and start executing? The doors to the Founding Member intake open immediately following the webinar.

👉 Join the Program Waitlist Here

Connect with Jerry Kleeman:

• LinkedIn
• Website
• Vistage Australia & New Zealand

Connect with Lisa:

• LinkedIn
• Website

Resources

· Article: What Today's Rainmakers Do Differently (Harvard Business Review)

· Stay in Touch Tracking Template (.docx file)

· The Art of Networking with Jerry Kleeman | Ep. 29

For many aspiring Board Members, LinkedIn feels like a chore. We treat it like a static electronic filing cabinet for our past job titles, or we avoid it entirely because we're afraid of looking self-promotional.

But in 2026, your LinkedIn profile is often the very first thing a Chair, Nominations Committee, or Board Recruiter looks at; even before they read your CV.

In this episode, I sit down with Tom Etherington, a former journalist turned LinkedIn Strategist and the founder of Connect Content. Tom strips away the "influencer" noise and shares practical, low-stress strategies to turn your LinkedIn profile from a resume into a resource.

Together, we discuss why 90% of Board roles are filled through the "Hidden Market" and how your digital presence is the key to unlocking those doors.

Key Takeaways:

• The Mindset Shift: Why you need to stop thinking of LinkedIn as shouting about yourself and start thinking of it as being of service to your network.
• The Headline Audit: Your headline is the most valuable real estate you own. Tom explains why "People Asset Consultant at [Company]" is a wasted opportunity and how to rewrite it to showcase your value proposition.
• The "Wedding Photo" Mistake: Why a cropped photo of you at a social event sends the wrong signal to a Board, and what to use instead.
• Resume vs. Resource: How to write an "About" section that sells your future potential (i.e. Board governance) rather than just listing your past history (i.e. executive operations).
• The "Cocktail Party" Strategy: For introverts or those time-poor professionals: why commenting on other people's posts can often be more effective than writing your own.

Links & Resources Mentioned:

FREE WEBINAR: How to Win at the Board Game Want to see how your LinkedIn profile fits into a wider Board search strategy? Join Lisa for a free live masterclass on Thursday, 19 February 2026. Register for the Free Webinar Here

JOIN THE WAITLIST: Build Your Board Career Tom Etherington is a Resident Guest Expert inside the Build Your Board Career program. If you want his personal help auditing your profile, join the waitlist to be notified when the Founding Member intake opens. Join the Program Waitlist Here

Connect with Tom Etherington:

• LinkedIn: Connect with Tom
• Book a Call with Tom
• Website: Connect Content

Connect with Lisa:

• LinkedIn: Connect with Me
• Website: Get on Board Australia

Every Board you approach, whether through an advertisement or a coffee meeting, is asking themselves one fundamental question: "Why you?"

Why should they choose you over the other candidates? Why are you the risk worth taking?

If you are struggling to answer this question concisely, or if your applications are being met with silence, the issue likely isn't your capability; it's your Unique Board Value Proposition (UBVP).

In this episode, I deconstruct exactly how to build a compelling Board Story. I break down the seven elements that make up your unique value proposition and provide the "Triple Filter" you need to apply to ensure your pitch lands every time.

• The "Chicken and Egg" Scenario: Why you cannot craft a compelling story until you have a clear Board Goal (i.e., your North Star). You can't sell a solution if you don't know who the customer is.
• Symptoms of a Weak UBVP: If you have a 5+ page resume, if you are getting "not qualified" feedback, or if you are hearing silence, you likely have a value proposition problem.
• The 7 Elements of Your Board Value:
• Professional Expertise: Your technical talent and demonstrable outcomes.
• Career Experience: Industry, geography, and scale of companies.
• Network: Who you know, who knows you, and the leveragability of those connections.
• Board Experience: Years served, committees led, and key contributions.
• Lived Experience: Personal experiences that inform your governance (without clouding judgment).
• Wealth: Access to capital (relevant for specific NFP/Charity boards).
• Passions/Interests: The areas where you are willing to contribute discretionary effort.
• The Triple Filter: How to decide what makes the cut on your CV. Is it Relevant? Is it Distinctive? Is it Believable?

FREE WEBINAR: How to Win at the Board Game Ready to move from theory to action? Join me in this free live webinar where I'll will break down the practical roadmap to landing your first, next, or paid Board role in 2026. Click Here to Register for Free

Setting a Board Goal

• Setting a Board Goal | Ep. 102
• Setting and Calibrating Your Board Goals | Ep. 49
• How to Set a Board Goal

Connect with me:

• LinkedIn
• Website

Actionable Step for This Week: Audit your current Board Resume or LinkedIn "About" section. Run it through the "Triple Filter":

• Is every sentence Relevant to your target Board?
• Is it Distinctive (does it sound like you or just a generic professional)?
• Is it Believable (do you have the evidence)? If it doesn't pass the test, cut it.