Bennie Wiley describes her career trajectory, starting at Howard University and Harvard Business School, then working in consulting focused on social issues. She became involved in nonprofit boards early on, developing leadership skills and eventually chairing the Children’s Museum board. This led to her first corporate board opportunity.
Wiley highlights the importance of nonprofit board experience as a stepping stone to corporate boards. She emphasizes that board service provides valuable learning opportunities and a chance to have influence. Wiley notes that her strengths in strategy, leadership, and interpersonal skills have made her attractive as a board member.
On increasing diversity on boards, Wiley expresses cautious optimism but acknowledges the deep-rooted challenges around race in America. She suggests several approaches:
- Having existing black directors mentor aspiring candidates
- Encouraging search firms to look beyond the usual candidates
- Asking all board members to identify diverse candidates from their networks
- Potentially using outside pressure, like institutional investors
Wiley discusses the challenges of being a black woman in the boardroom, including sometimes not being heard or having ideas attributed to others. She advises aspiring candidates to be themselves but also to have a support network for guidance.
Regarding the future, Wiley believes progress on board diversity will be incremental. She stresses the need for more black leadership in organizations to influence board composition. Wiley calls for proactive, strategic efforts to increase boardroom diversity and provide support for those who join boards to succeed and bring others along.
