Women’s voices are not often heard in executive suites or in boardrooms but bring tremendous value to the opinions and decision-making for organizations. This greater diversity of viewpoints improves board discussions because different perspectives can bring more information to the table. In addition, a person in the executive suite gains insight and skills for dealing with board members by serving on the boards of other organizations. 

At NFRC, the organization that rates the energy performance of windows, doors, and skylights, they have women in the executive office and serving on its board. And, in her free time, NFRC’s Chief Executive Officer Deb Callahan volunteers as an Association Board member at her alma mater Wells College and serves on other charitable organizations’ boards of directors.

Serving on a nonprofit board and sharing your professional knowledge, energy, and expertise not only benefits the organization but also you as well, especially women. Research has found that female directors tend to be less conformist and more likely to express their independent views than male directors because they’re not part of old-boy networks.

Through her board experience, Callahan said she believes she’s has built a better relationship with NFRC’s own board of directors.

The time she spends on nonprofit boards while being the CEO of NFRC is what enables her to be successful in both roles, Callahan said. Often leaders of organizations don’t take the time to serve on boards or see the value of board service to their leadership development. Callahan uses her experience as a board member to refine her approach to relationship-building and communication with NFRC’s board. 

“To have a really effective engagement with your board as a CEO, you’ve got to understand where they are coming from and they have to understand where you’re coming from. That can be challenging if you don’t have the benefit of serving in both of those roles, but most don’t,” Callahan said. “Most folks who are CEOs don’t serve on a board and I think if there’s the opportunity to do that, you absolutely need to put yourself out there and do it.”

In addition to understanding the board’s perspective, Callahan said that communicating the challenges she faces and areas where she’s focusing reassures the board that she is a good steward of the organization. These efforts develop an understanding and an appreciation of the roles as CEO and board member. Through that journey together, they create a well-functioning, dynamic partnership. 

“I’ve taken that experience and actually, now that I sit on a nonprofit board, try and look at what that organization is doing. I look at the work that we’re doing, and I look at it through two lenses, that as a CEO and then that as a board member. It’s really neat.”