Hard truths about getting on a company's board

I ONCE asked a Buddhist monk whether I was enlightened. He replied seriously that if I were enlightened I would not be asking that question. I often remember this conversation and find a surprising yet profane analogy with joining a governance board which, for many executives, is the corporate equivalent to nirvana.

When business executives ask me what they should do to be appointed on a board, I always give them the same tongue-in-cheek answer: "If you're asking, it's a sign that you do not qualify."

You see, you don't ask to join a board. You are asked.