To Be A Board Member

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.infosecnews.org/to-be-a-board-member/

Posted in its entirety as Pastebin pages sometimes disappear…

http://pastebin.com/VJtribPU

BY: A GUEST ON AUG 21ST, 2013

The information security industry is rife with initiatives and organizations, 
one more formal than the other, that would benefit from able and competent 
boards. From the Security B-Sides organization, OWASP, ISSA and the Cloud 
Security Alliance to ISC2, over the years it has become clear that building and 
maintaining a competent and agile board proves to be a relative challenge. 
While each organization is different, the issues they face are similar. This 
post does not address the specific concerns of a single organization but rather 
tries to frame the need for dedicated and competent board members against the 
backdrop of an industry and community that continues to struggle with their own 
identity. It should provide guidance to both people with board ambitions and 
those looking to support them. Anybody identifying themselves with an 
organization and its membership should ask themselves at least the following 
questions.


Why me?
——-

The first answer to this question could be ‘Why not?’ but the answer lies in 
the fact that it is a flawed question to begin with. The real answer should be 
‘Who cares? This is not about YOU.’

A large following and a well-known name will obviously make it significantly 
easier to obtain a board seat but it is just important to note that very few 
organizations provide board seats as a ‘badge of honor’. The position comes 
with both a decent dose of responsibility and the requirement to put in hours. 
If your first reason to aim for this position is that it will look good on your 
resume then you’re not only in for a surprise, you’re also about to hugely 
disappoint yourself and the people that rely on your engagement to make things 
happen.

‘Servant Leadership’ is a term that is overused these days. The essentials of 
the concept are very relevant for the aspiring board member though. It only 
starts when a community or membership provides you the opportunity to serve. 
Within that mandate is your obligation to serve your constituency with only the 
common interest on your agenda. Where you may expect the additional ‘badge’ to 
propel your career to soaring heights, you will rather find yourself spending 
numerous cycles on complex problems with no inkling of personal reward in 
return. Instead your reward lies in the value and benefits you create for your 
constituency.

[...]

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