This article was originally published in LinkedIn| July 25, 2016

How to Position Yourself as a Diverse Candidate

The call for greater board diversity has grown louder in recent years. Germany now requires that 30 percent of its public company directors be women, more U.S. companies are including diversity disclosures in their proxy statements, Institutional Shareholder Services recently issued shareholder voting guidelines around diversity, and more companies are composing their boards to better align with company strategy.

But as boards move to diversify their ranks, what does that mean for a director who might be considered “non-diverse”? In a profession with low turnover, how can you competitively position yourself as a board candidate?

Let’s begin by examining terminology. While the Securities and Exchange Commission encourages diversity, it only states that companies may “define diversity in ways that they consider appropriate.” To add some clarity, the Report of the NACD Blue Ribbon Commission on the Diverse Board notes that proponents of diversity often use the following descriptions: identity, such as gender, race, and ethnicity; or skills, such as professional and functional experience.

The key here is to focus on the skills portion of that definition. If you are considering joining a board where your experience and skills are unlike any of the incumbent directors, then you are a diverse candidate. Diversity of skills or thought can be, in short, about positioning yourself in relation to the board’s current composition.

Diversity of thought should be a strategic imperative in the boardroom. Varied perspectives that drive conversation produce more robust discussions and spur more thoughtful questions. The most successful companies seem to know this. For example, in 2011 Starbucks nominated then 29-year-old Clara Shih to its board in an effort to add social media expertise, a key growth area for the company. Since then, Starbucks’ stock has almost tripled. While this growth cannot be attributed to Shih alone, she inarguably brought to the board critical functional expertise that aligned with the company’s strategy. She also remains the youngest director on the board by a decade, providing insight to a different segment of Starbucks’ consumer base than that brought by older directors.

A board can bolster how it contributes to an organization by aligning its composition with the company’s strategic objectives. NACD board recruitment advisors suggest that clients complete a skill set matrix that maps out their director needs with an eye toward long-term strategy, future growth markets, potential disruptors, and trends. Boards can then use this information to identify skill set gaps and recruit members to fill those gaps.

As a candidate from a potentially diverse background—be it in terms of identity or skills— you gain the opportunity to fill this need. Complete a self-audit. What can you offer to elevate boardroom conversations? Consider what types of companies might benefit from your knowledge, and broadly consider market and social trends. Retail firms may be looking for human resources skills, manufacturing organizations may be looking for emerging market experience, technology companies may be looking for experience with initial public offerings. Once you’ve identified target industries or companies, start to clearly communicate the value you bring to those industries on your résumé, in your social profiles, while networking, and during your boardroom interviews.

Boards like Starbucks’ provide thoughtful, robust oversight that would likely not come from a more homogeneous board. With that in mind, consider how you can leverage your skills to set yourself apart from the crowded field of talented directors. Focus on the unique qualities you bring to boardroom conversations. Therein lies the value of diversity.

This article was featured in the July/August 2016 issue of NACD Directorship magazine.