WOBTime, resilience and networking are the keys to success

Nicole Donegan, Chief Operating Officer, Women on Boards
December 2022

Having worked at Women on Boards for more than three and a half years, I have been fortunate to hear the triumphs and tribulations of many of our members.  What I have deduced time and time again, is that success doesn't happy by fluke.  It’s down to sheer hard work and resilience.  There are three consistent themes that resonate with every success story I hear.

Persistence and Consistency are the keys to Board Success

1. Successful members consistently dedicate regular time to focus on their Board Journey.  We call this WOBTime.

WOBTime is really your time to devote to your board journey.  It might mean you need to go to extreme lengths, like successful ASX Director Leanne Heywood OAM, who shared that the only possible time she had available was when she went to the gym each week.  So, she forfeited the gym for a few months and dedicated that time to her board journey.  It certainly paid off.  Leanne now sits on three ASX Boards and currently Chairs our WOBSX Syndicate in Sydney.  Listen to Leanne’s podcast here

2. Resilience

Successful members learn to take the knockbacks and get back up again.  One WOB member recently shared that she applied for 50 roles before her landing her first paid role.

We know it can be disheartening, but we really encourage you not to take the knock backs, no responses to applications and not getting an interview to heart.  It really is a part of the process.

Use each as a learning opportunity and ask yourself what you could potentially do differently to change the outcome.

3. They Network

Part of the consistency is making time to network.  Successful WOB members have shared that they try to have a "regular" coffee meeting every week/month/what you can manage.  The frequency may differ among members, but the key theme is that successful directors do it regularly.

Networking needs to become part of your discipline.  We have heard many stories about how that coffee meeting six months ago led to a recommendatin or appointment. 

It may be daunting at first, but push yourself outside your comfort zone and it will get easier with time.

So take heart. Don’t give up, and make regular time to focus on your board journey and network.  If you are consistent and persistent it will pay off.