Sam test New Podcast

Season 4, Episode 6

There are many benefits to serving on a not-for-profit board, including helping to fulfill an organization’s mission, expanding your skillset and broadening your network. Finding the right fit and understanding the expectations of Board membership is important to ensure an optimal experience. In this episode, Leading Women Executives Fellows Aimee Nolan and Sara Granack discuss their experiences serving on not-for-profit Boards, and how they have benefitted by serving as civic leaders.

Aimee is Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Chief IP Counsel at Grainger, and currently serves as the Board Chair for the Alzheimer’s Association, Illinois Chapter (Leading Women Executives, Spring 2014). Sara is Vice President, Corporate Communication & Reputation at CDW, and is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors for Bernie’s Book Bank (Leading Women Executives, Spring 2015).

Discussion Questions

We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:

  1. What are your non-negotiables around family and work?
  2. What trade-offs have you made in order to maintain those non-negotiables?
  3. Do you have rituals — like Ilene’s and Bram’s Sunday-night dinners — that you have put in place to help you stay organized as a family?
  4. How do you or other leaders in your organization model work-life balance?

HIGHLIGHTS:

Discussion Questions:

  • What are your non-negotiables around family and work?
  • What trade-offs have you made in order to maintain those non-negotiables?
  • What advice would you give to women who are working to overcome the “confidence gap”?
  • What questions are you and your organization asking ‘why’ about when it comes to DEI efforts?

HIGHLIGHTS:

About Bernie’s Book Bank and the Alzheimer’s Association [9:06]
The Inspiration to Get Involved [12:27]
Doing Your Research – What You Need to Understand [16:08]
Getting Started: How to Get Involved [20:06]
Opportunities to Develop New Skills [22:54]
Expanding Your Network Through Board Service [25:30]
Understanding the Expectations of Being a Board Member [27:31]

Comments? Email us at leadingwomenexecutives@corporateleadership.org