Forbes: Want to become a more complete leader? Join another company’s board

By Heikki Väänänen, CEO & Founder | HappyOrNot

The key to any flourishing leader is the inner drive to improve, to push yourself to the next level. Rather than swanning off on an entrepreneurs’ retreat, I would argue that joining the board of directors at another company, organization, or charity, may well just be the most effective way of doing this. For my latest article on Forbes, I look at why board seat positions can help to improve your own skills, expand your network, teach you how other industries work, and also fill you with an enormous sense of personal pride.

I sit, and have sat on, multiple boards throughout my career. For me, these positions open up whole new worlds as they enable me to encounter, first hand, the way that other entrepreneurs work, and the nuances that exist in different industries. Anything that gets you in the same room (and around the same table) as other leaders who you can learn from should be seized with both hands. I have always picked characteristics and traits from other leaders on the same boards as myself and slotted them into my own repertoire.

And you never know, the person you sit next to on a board may well be your next big customer, mentor, or investor, so it’s crucial to tap into these networks as they can open up doors that were previously shut off.

Board seat positions go beyond just self-improvement through. Another reason I believe they’re so important is because they enable you to make a real difference, whether it’s at a charity that is close to your heart, or an organization that you feel passionate about.

To get started, build your own profile so that you’re invited onto a board, and from there you have a world of opportunity in front of you.

Read the full  Forbes article here.