What makes a great board member?

I recently ran a quiz in my community at boardlist.co to gauge what people think about the qualities of great board member?

Two things that came up on top
a. Asking Tough Questions
b. Supporting the Management

"Can you recommend a great board member for us?"

Every few weeks I get this question from a founder I am working with or another board member.

And everytime I ask them what they are looking for in a board member, these two points rarely show up. On top are domain expertise and access to networks.

What has been your experience? Do great board members act as sounding board or accountability partners or business growth partners?

By the way if you are looking for Great Board Members, or are interested in joining a great board, please sign up at boardlist.co

Being on a board is intellectually the best thing you can do if you have scaled businesses and built organizations. You learn from the best and contribute to building something great.