60. Why do Young People Want to be on Boards so Badly?

SCRIPT: I’ll say up front that I *really* think most boards would benefit from having younger board members. In a lot of cases, “younger” could be anything under 60. But I also know a lot of boards who think “wouldn’t it be great to have Millennials or Gen Zs in the room?” And I’m starting to meet more and more Millennials and Gen Zs who ask me “how can I get on a board? Especially a PAID board!” And my first question is usually “why do you want to be on a board?” And to be honest, most of them don’t really have an answer beyond the generic “I want to have influence,” or “I want to make a difference,” or “why wait until I’m 60?” Not to be a buzzkill, but I sometimes want to help them take a step back and think about some other questions, like, “if the company faces a crisis, are you willing to prioritize your board role over your job? Your family?” Here’s another good one: “if things go REALLY REALLY badly, are you prepared to have your personal assets – maybe your house, your car - on the line as a result of your role on the board?” Now that I think about it, these are good questions for ANY potential board member, but I think the implications might be magnified for young people. Besides, what’s the hurry? Work on your governance chops, build your community, and when your ready, the opportunities will be there.