Our Work Leadership Programmes Network for Black Women Leaders (NBWL) Behind the Boardroom Door: What No One Tells You About Becoming a Non-Executive Director (Part 2) Stepping into a Non-Executive Director (NED) role is often presented as a prestigious next step for accomplished leaders. But what actually happens behind the boardroom door? In Part 2 of this candid discussion, Jaiye Elias from the Network for Black Women Leaders (NBWL), speaks with Non-Executive Director Ruth Ajayi about the realities of becoming a NED: the entry pathways, the politics, the power dynamics, the bias, the silence, and the lessons Ruth wishes she had known earlier. Video 3: Speaking Up in Board Environments (17 minutes) Non-Executive Director Ruth Ajayi reflects on what it really takes to speak up in board environments, especially when you are newer, younger, or “the only one” in the room. She explores the emotional calculations many Black women make before contributing: Will this be received well? Will I be labelled difficult? Will this affect how I’m perceived? Video 4: Identity, Bias and Being “The Only One” (18 minutes) Non-Executive Director Ruth Ajayi reflects on the experience of being the only Black woman in the boardroom and what that visibility means. She discusses the weight of representation, the subtle biases that can surface and the internal resilience required to remain grounded in your identity. Boardrooms are not immune to bias. Nor are they free from assumptions about who looks like a “typical” NED. Ruth speaks openly about how she navigated those moments: when to challenge, when to educate, and when to conserve energy. Manage Cookie Preferences