Building Your NED Portfolio: Why "Taking Any Board Role" Can Kill Your Career

In the early days of forging a career as a Non-Executive Director, it's tempting to jump right in and take any board role to gain experience. But is it the right approach?

The Dangerous "Any Board is Better Than No Board" Mentality

Should you accept any board role you've been offered? It's a question I hear regularly from executives building NED portfolios, and surprisingly, my answer is often: "It depends... but probably not."

You'd be amazed at how many conversations I've had with executives who accepted board positions simply because they were available. One former marketing director had taken three different NED positions in two years - none of which paid what she wanted or aligned with her expertise.

Another operations executive had built what looked like an impressive NED portfolio on paper but found himself stretched across sectors he didn't understand, working with founders who didn't value his input.

The prevalence of this "any board is better than no board" mentality is concerning, especially when I know how strategic portfolio building transforms both your income and impact.

Let's explore four crucial insights about the difference between strategic selection and opportunistic acceptance in building your NED portfolio.

Insight 1: Strategic Selection Multiplies Your Value (And Your Income)

Building a NED portfolio doesn't mean accepting every opportunity that comes your way. Successful portfolio NEDs are highly selective about which roles they accept.

Why? Because focused expertise commands premium fees. SME owners don't want generalist board members - they want specialists who can add value to their specific situation.

Your decades of operational experience become more valuable when you apply them strategically across related opportunities. Instead of spreading yourself thin across random sectors, build depth in areas where your expertise creates compound value.

The executive who specializes in helping manufacturing SMEs scale operations always out-earns the one who sits on random boards across unrelated industries when building NED portfolios.

Choose direction over volume in your NED career development.

Insight 2: Each Role Should Strengthen Your Position for the Next One

Every NED role you take either enhances or dilutes your positioning for future opportunities. That's why opportunistic board acceptance becomes problematic.

I recently spoke with an executive who had accepted a poorly paid role with a struggling business simply to "get board experience." Eighteen months later, when better opportunities arose, potential clients questioned why someone of his caliber was working with an underperforming company at below-market rates.

He shared: "I thought any experience would be good experience. Instead, that role damaged my positioning for the opportunities I really wanted."

SME owners evaluate your judgment partly based on your previous board selections. Rather than accepting roles that don't align with your strategic direction, hold out for opportunities that build your reputation in your chosen focus areas.

Each appointment should be a stepping stone, not a detour, in your Non-Executive Director career.

Insight 3: The Right Mix Creates Portfolio Synergies, Not Just Portfolio Income

The most effective NED portfolios aren't just collections of individual roles - they're carefully curated combinations that create mutual reinforcement.

A technology executive I worked with built his portfolio strategy around three complementary areas: cybersecurity, fintech, and data analytics. The insights from each role enhanced his value in the others. Market intelligence from his fintech board informed his cybersecurity recommendations. Data analytics expertise helped both his other companies gain competitive advantages.

"Each role makes me better at the other two," he explained. "The business owners see me as someone who brings cross-sector intelligence, not just functional expertise."

There's a financial dimension too. When your roles complement each other, you can command higher fees because you bring broader context and deeper insights to each appointment in your strategic NED portfolio.

Build synergy, not just income, when building your portfolio.

Insight 4: Quality Over Quantity Determines Long-Term Success

In planning your NED portfolio, resist the temptation to fill slots just because you can. Three well-chosen, well-compensated roles that align with your expertise will always outperform five random appointments that dilute your focus.

I regularly see executives who've built what appear to be impressive portfolios - four or five board positions - yet find themselves financially disappointed and professionally unfulfilled.

A close friend who serves on multiple SME boards shared his learning: "Early in my NED career, I said yes to everything. I was busy but not particularly valuable to anyone. When I became selective and focused on where I could have real impact, both my income and satisfaction transformed."

Business owners want NEDs who are invested in their success, not someone juggling too many competing priorities. The focused portfolio generates more referrals, commands higher fees, and creates more satisfying relationships.

Be selective, not busy, in your NED portfolio development.

Strategic Portfolio Building for Long-Term Success

Building a successful NED portfolio isn't about accumulating board seats - it's about selecting opportunities that reinforce your expertise, enhance your reputation, and compound your value.

From my experience as someone who has both served on boards and appointed Non-Executive Directors to my businesses, the most sought-after directors are those who've built coherent portfolios around clear areas of expertise.

These executives aren't available for every opportunity because they've created such demand in their specialty areas they can be selective.

There's nothing wrong with taking an opportunistic approach if you're genuinely passionate about diverse challenges and enjoy variety. Some executives thrive with eclectic portfolios across different sectors and industries.

I simply want to caution against accepting roles purely because they're available, without considering how they fit into your long-term portfolio strategy.

Developing Your Strategic NED Portfolio Approach

Are you being strategic about which board opportunities you pursue? Or have you found yourself accepting roles that don't quite align with your longer-term vision?

The key to successful NED portfolio building lies in understanding that every role should contribute to your overall strategic direction, enhance your reputation in your chosen expertise areas, and create synergies that multiply your value across all appointments.

Strategic portfolio building takes patience and discipline, but the long-term rewards—both financial and professional - far exceed the short-term benefits of accepting any available opportunity.