What Board Service Taught Me About Leadership by Ruby Newell-Legner, CSP

As I complete my final month as a member of the Global Speakers Federation Board, I have been reflecting less on what I accomplished and more on what I learned.

Serving with leaders from around the world has taught me valuable lessons about leadership, governance, relationships, and stewardship. Here are a few I will carry with me.

Understand Whom You Serve

One of the most important responsibilities of a Board member is to understand the organization’s purpose and whom it exists to serve.

GSF is a federation of professional speaking associations. Individual speakers benefit when their associations are strong, but our responsibility as a federation is to strengthen our member associations and their leaders.

That distinction should influence our priorities, resources, and decisions. Our Mission should not simply appear on a website. It should become the filter through which a Board evaluates every opportunity.

Be Strategic in Your Focus and Diplomatic in Your Words

During the year I served as NSA President, “strategic diplomacy” became my mantra. It has served me equally well during my time with GSF.

Board members have a responsibility to ask difficult questions, identify concerns, and challenge ideas that may not align with the mission or governance of the organization. How we do that matters.

I have learned to ask questions before forming conclusions, seek the backstory, and gather facts without making assumptions. Phrases such as “Perhaps you are unaware…” or “What would work better for me…” (Thank you, Dr. John B. Molidor.) allow us to clarify concerns without immediately creating defensiveness.

Leadership is not measured by how quickly we win an argument. It is often revealed by how respectfully we navigate disagreement.

Listen More Than You Speak

Serving on a global Board reinforced that people can use the same words and still mean different things. Culture shapes how we communicate, make decisions, express disagreement, and define leadership.

When concerns arise, our reactions can either help people feel heard or make the situation worse. Often, the most important thing we can do is let someone tell their story, listen without interrupting, and confirm that we understand.

Global leadership requires curiosity. Ask before assuming. Listen before prescribing. Learn before leading.

Remember That Leadership Is Shared

I have never been comfortable with phrases such as “my year,” “my Board,” or “my initiative.” Leadership belongs to the organization, not to the person temporarily holding a position.

Strong Boards create open dialogue, clarify expectations, and give people the tools and support they need to succeed. Board members, staff, and volunteers each have different responsibilities, but they should be working toward the same purpose.

Board service is a relay, not a solo performance. We inherit work from those who served before us, care for it for a period of time, and then pass it to others.

Respect Both Process and People

Good governance is not bureaucracy for its own sake. Clear policies, procedures, motions, and responsibilities protect the organization and the integrity of its decisions.

Throughout my Board service, I helped clarify election procedures, document lessons learned, strengthen Board orientation, and refine proposals and policies. These accomplishments matter to me because they may help future leaders begin with greater clarity and confidence.

At the same time, process should never cause us to lose sight of people. The best decisions honor both the organization’s responsibilities and the individuals affected by them.

Pay the Lessons Forward

One of the most valuable things a Board member can do is preserve what was learned.

Keep notes. Document decisions. Explain why a process exists. Share what worked, what did not, and what future leaders may want to consider. Institutional knowledge should not disappear when a term ends.

As I conclude my GSF Board service, I am grateful for the relationships, experiences, challenges, and lessons it has given me. I am proud of what I contributed, but I also know that leadership is never finished.

Perhaps that is the greatest lesson of Board service: we are temporary stewards of something larger than ourselves.

We contribute what we can. We learn from one another. We protect the organization’s purpose. Then we pass what we have learned to those who will lead next.

Now it is their turn to carry it forward and, one day, pay it forward.

Ruby Newell-Legner, CSP
GSF Past President 2024-2025