When you show up, does the room get smarter, more insightful, diverse, empathetic, energized, or committed? What trait or characteristic do you lend that adds value? It is a question to ponder when being asked to serve. Do we have something remarkable and or unique to offer? We might be the only ones without an advanced degree, but we have experiences that elude academics. We might be the only ones who have trekked this route previously, even if it was at night and we failed to reach the destination. For all the board and team matrices that attempt to map our attributes on spreadsheets, it is often the unquantifiable that is our greatest asset.

I have traveled far to attend board meetings where my presence contributed little until a key inflection point. I offered a three-sentence reflection that I believe helped us make a better decision. For 99% of the meeting, I was not essential, there were other voices to cover the same perspective I was thinking. However, when the moment came for a critical insight that I was uniquely positioned to articulate, I was willing to contribute. The room was better for the presence of each attendee.