Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/320547
JUNE 2014 | BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM 25 to serve on our board who have titles like vice president or executive vice president or senior vice president in order to cast a wider net for candidates?" Some European legislatures have tipped the scales by setting quotas for women on boards. Norway requires 40 percent of boards have female directors, as does Spain. France has a similar goal. ŀE64HOWEVERHˬSSHIEDˬWˬYFROM setting minimums—which local business leaders generally agree with, favoring merit-based rather than mandatory se- lections. ŀERESTOFTHEBURDENFˬLLSONWOMEN themselves. In addition to Eddy, Victor- son and Euclide, BRAVA asked Laurie Benson, a member of the First Business Bank and Mead & Hunt boards for tips to help women gain board seats. All four were invited to a recent round table on the topic held by TEMPO Madison, an orga- nization connecting women executives. Here is what they recommend: p1URSUEˬBOˬRDPOSITIONOUTOFˬDESIRE to serve, not a need for prestige. Be passionate about the business or indus- try you're targeting and study it. p%ONmTDIRECTLYˬSKTOBEONˬBOˬRD Raise your visibility in the community so that the board members you want to serve with are aware of your skills: At- tend conferences, gain speaking roles at events, and get press coverage for your company or event. p'INDOPPORTUNITIESINYOURCURRENTǠELD to take on executive level projects or challenges. Become a recognized leader INYOURǠELD p7OLUNTEERTOSERVEONCIVICBOˬRDSˬND COMMISSIONS ˬS WELL ˬS NONPROǠT boards to raise your visibility and learn board governance. p4PEˬKUP"SKPROBINGQUESTIONS#E willing to take a contrary opinion so that it's clear you have a unique view- point to offer. p6NDERSTˬNDTHEDUTIESOFBOˬRDLEˬDER- SHIPINCLUDINGLEGˬLˬNDǠNˬNCIˬLLI- abilities. Eddy recommends going to the National Association of Corporate Directors for guidance. p0NCEˬTTHETˬBLEˬCTIVELYHELPOTHERS advance to the boardroom. Want to learn more? Check out 2020wob.com, a national campaign to increase the percentage of women on corporate boards from 4 to 20 percent or more by 2020. Local organizations exploring women's leadership topics include TEMPO Madison, tempomadison.org; the Wisconsin Women's Council, womenscouncil. wi.gov; and United Way, unitedway.org, which offers workshops including a July 11 CEO Round- table and a July 16 Board Training session. LVI Preferred Dentist Member American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry JAY C . H A Z E N D D S S A R A H J. KARLS D D S 413 W. Washington Ave. Downtown Madison dentistryformadison.com (608) 251-8790 A SMILE CAN CHANGE A LIFE Your smile is too important to entrust to just anyone. Meet Dr. Jay Hazen and Dr. Sarah Karls. From teeth whitening to a complete smile makeover, Dr. Hazen and Dr. Karls specialize in helping people like you rediscover the confidence to smile. We offer cosmetic dentistry, one-appointment Cerec crowns, Invisalign, implant reconstruction, conscious sedation and general dentistry visits. Want to love your smile? Call today for a complimentary consultation. Conveniently located downtown just steps from the Capitol on West Washington Avenue.