In the fascinating world of board seats - these aren't just ordinary chairs; they're seats of power, and they hold the keys to decision-making across industries. And guess what? They're even more remarkable for people of color. In this episode of Guilty Privilege, Conrad Woody, a Corporate Affairs Thought Leader, and your host Amber Cabral explore the magic of diversity in corporate governance and the real cash value it brings to the table.  Conrad doesn't just drop knowledge bombs; he's a generous mentor too. He lets us in on the five essentials for those eager to secure board seats: excellence, governance know-how, experience, personal branding, and a solid network. With these tools, you'll have the roadmap to not just finding your way into the boardroom but also making a difference once you're there. He introduces the fascinating notion of "swim lanes," elucidating the actions individuals should take to acquire valuable insights and turbocharge their career progression. Conrad doesn't stop there - he generously provides listeners with a treasure trove of insights for aspiring board candidates, underlining the quintessential importance of excellence, governance knowledge, governance experience, personal branding, and relationship capital. Ultimately, this conversation weaves together a rich tapestry of wisdom, offering listeners a trove of invaluable insights into the realms of career development, networking, and harnessing the power of privilege to effect positive change in various facets of life. KEY POINTS: -Meaningful professional connections begin with self-awareness -Building relationships and networks can help you access valuable information and opportunities -Focus on building your brand and nurture key relationships -Personal interests and hobbies can align with your broader life goals and objectives -Building meaningful relationships requires knowing yourself -Adapt when needed, but stay true to yourself -Leverage your privilege for good share knowledge and opportunities QUOTABLES: "I don't think you can effectively build relationship capital or find things in common with others without knowing yourself." - Conrad Woody "If you're not passively influencing the hearts and minds of the stakeholders that make these decisions, it is going to be really hard to find yourself." - Conrad Woody "Information is a lot of the reason why there's inequity in the world." - Conrad Woody "I needed to be a bit more deliberate about the types of connections I was making." -Amber Cabral GUEST INFORMATION:  Conrad Woody IG | @cwoodyjr  LinkedIn | conradwoody Twitter | @cwoodyjr  Amber Cabral  IG | @bamcabral LinkedIn | @ambercabral Facebook | @amber.cabral Twitter | @BamCabral  Grab a copy of Amber’s books at Amazon!  Allies and Advocates: Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Culture Say More About That: ...And Other Ways to Speak Up, Push Back, and Advocate for Yourself and Others -  Guilty Privilege is produced by EPYC Media Network