Behind the Boardroom Door: What No One Tells You About Becoming a Non-Executive Director (Part 3)

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 the third and final part 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 5: What does a Non-Executive Director Do? (11 minutes)

Non-Executive Director Ruth Ajayi demystifies the day-to-day responsibilities of a Non-Executive Director. She explains the difference between executive and non-executive roles, and why the ability to remain independent and objective is crucial.

Board work requires distance. It requires asking difficult questions without stepping into operational control. It requires protecting the long-term interests of an organisation, sometimes in tension with short-term pressure. For women considering this pathway, this clip provides practical clarity.

Video 6: NED Lessons, Missteps and Growth (16 minutes)

No leadership journey is linear. Non-Executive Director Ruth Ajayi reflects on lessons learned, early missteps and the growth that came with experience of being a NED.

She speaks candidly about moments she would approach differently now with the benefit of hindsight, the evolution of confidence, and the deepening of strategic judgement. She also offers perspective for the next generation of Black women aspiring to board roles.

Boardrooms may not have been designed with us in mind. But that does not mean we do not belong.

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