Bring your board into the digital era: go young--the likely candidate pool for this digital infusion is largely under 40--and other tips for recruiting this new generation of board candidates.

• Author: Gauss, Jim
• Position: DIRECTOR RECRUITING

HERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK about adding "social media" expertise to boards, but the trend is really much broader than that. Last year Wal-Mart lured Marissa Mayer--then of Google and now CEO of Yahoo--to its board because it is thinking well beyond social media or search engines. Mayer's true expertise is in tapping into the public consciousness and communing with the consumers of tomorrow. She "gets" the new digital age.

Wal-Mart's fears are the same as those of many boards--not so much about leveraging Twitter or Facebook but more about losing relevance in a brave new era. Few hoards have the clout to bring in the likes of Mayer, but good boards do what they can. A Catholic hospital I know recently brought in a board member from a reputable IT company who has been a great fIt.

How are other boards identifying and recruiting the young, digital set? Here area few suggestions based on what i iii seeing in my work:

1. Evaluate yourself. Most boards go through a regular self-evaluation process, or should if they don't. It doesn't need to be complicated--evaluate the skills of current members, as well as their willingness to accept new members, fresh ideas, and a change of the board's complexion. Is your board willing to have new members and put them on equal footing? If not, efforts to bring these digital-era experts into the fold are doomed to fail.

2. Go young. The likely candidate pool for this digital infusion into your board is largely under 40. Know the aspirations of this new generation of board candidates. First, they're in career-building mode and are interested in "getting a piece of the action," and may he more open to smaller, more flexible boards as opposed to those with paid positions. They'll also r want to make sure it fits their schedule and lifestyle--how often and when does the board meet, and is it efficient in how it does business? Younger members can get frustrated if there's too much process and not enough results, and also if the board is not ready for the new ideas they bring in.

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3. Creatively mine your network of contacts. Look to local community organizations, key industry associations, and non-competing corporations with specialists in technology and digital communications. Also, seek out search consultants and recruiters who have their own strong databases and networks.

4. Match board recruits to...