Learning How Board Members Think
With a legal background that includes private practice, public service, and corporate counsel roles, Leslie Turner has had a diverse and rewarding career. Today, as SVP and general counsel for The Hershey Company, she spends much of her time in the boardroom supporting the company's CEO/Chairman and the Hershey board. This experience has fueled her interest in joining for-profit boards and inspired her to attend the Women on Boards program at Harvard Business School (HBS). She discusses a few highlights of the program.
Why did you choose to attend this program?
My reasons for attending this program were twofold. First, I've served on non-profit boards for several years and want I want to extend my service to boards of for-profit organizations. Second, I viewed the Women on Boards program as an opportunity to hone my insights into how board members leverage their expertise and experience to add value to their boards.
Did the program meet your expectations?
Overall, I was very satisfied with the program. During the program and the informal group interactions, we explored various ways to think about getting on boards—both in terms of the process and the substantive content required for selection. We identified our own skill sets and options for translating those skills to meet a director criteria profile. We also had the opportunity to interact with faculty members who are not just in academia but have real-world experience.
How would you describe other participants in the program?
The women who participated were absolutely fabulous. There was so much talent in the room—we had venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and traditional executives from all around the world. The differences in demographics, geographic backgrounds and experience added an invaluable element to the program.
Did the program's environment make it easy to interact with other participants? That is, were you able to network, collaborate and share perspectives with your peers?
Definitely. In the first classroom session, we spent time sharing our backgrounds, experiences and why we were in the program, which led to additional conversations and exchange of ideas outside the classroom. The participants discussed their own initiatives for advancing the inclusion of women on boards and formed a network to continue interacting and supporting each other after the program.
Is there anything else you would like to say about your experience?
The content was very rich, the professors were terrific, and the caliber of people that I was exposed to and had the opportunity to interact with was exceptional. It was a fantastic experience, and I fully enjoyed the program.