Equipped and Qualified
Gerry Lopez speaks on the qualifications and requirements to becoming a Board member.
In your experience, what are the main factors that are considered when recruiting a Latino/a Board Director?
Qualifications trump all. To pretend otherwise is a fool’s errand. Being Latino is clearly a powerful factor and I’ve served on more than one Board where I was the first Latino ever. But just to be clear, without the HBS education, the C-Suite positions, the job experiences, the personal network and reputation, the opportunities to serve on Boards wouldn’t have materialized. Boards are not large groups, and everyone needs to hold up their end of the bargain. There are no “throw-away” seats on Boards. Everyone has to contribute. And one has to be qualified.
What needs to be done to make Boards more diverse and inclusive?
We need to keep pushing. We need to keep agitating. We need to keep asking embarrassing questions. We need to point out the gaping holes; shine a bright light on those. We need to keep removing excuses. My favorite is, of course, ‘We can’t find qualified Latinos.’ What a bad joke. That said, I’m not a believer in laws, regulations or quotas. There are enough of those.
What should Latino Directors do once they’re part of a Board, to open doors for others, without risking their reputation or crossing lines?
I don’t get the connection between recommending other Latinos and risking my reputation. That makes no sense. I’m not going to recommend someone just because they’re Latino. I’m going to recommend someone because, above all, they’re qualified. The perfect moment is when I can recommend a qualified Latino. Crossing the line? What line? If a Board is looking for a cyber expert and I recommend someone who does not fit that criteria, that may be crossing the line. I don’t see why one would do that, Latino or not.
Please feel free to add any other comment.
I am constantly asked by friends, Latino and otherwise, about Board service; how to get on Boards and what does it take? My own experiences are that there is no one answer to the question. Except that it is for qualifications. If you’re not qualified, good luck. After that initial requirement is achieved, the real work begins. There is no substitute for networking, intellectual curiosity, attending event or belonging to professional organizations. Above all, there is no substitute for success in your chosen field. No Board wants to hire the B-team.