By Bob Violino

What’s a good way to learn the ins and outs of business, gain industry visibility and network with high-level corporate executives and other movers and shakers? Join a corporate board of directors.

Only a few years ago, a CIO might have had a hard time getting appointed to a board. But now that IT has become such a critical part of business operations, the opportunities for CIOs have never been greater. Increasingly, CIOs are being asked to serve on boards. While this can afford great career opportunities for CIOs, it also brings challenges and risks. Here are some frequently asked questions about board basics and answers from industry experts .

How are board directors chosen?
Most companies engage an executive search firm to help find board members. The reason: Companies seek a particular set of skills, and search firms can identify candidates who possess those skills, says Mike Gorsage, Managing Director in the IT performance improvement practice at consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

One especially coveted skill among CIO candidates for boards: the ability to innovatively use IT to support business growth. “Having people on the board who have a broad understanding of technology and a good skill set around all types of technology is valuable,” Gorsage says.

CIOs may have to increase their personal networking to get noticed by these search firms, says Harriet Edelman, Senior VP and CIO of Avon Products Inc., who also serves on the board of Hershey Foods Corp. Her advice: Start small by volunteering with a lower-profile association or a not-for-profit organization. “This enables you to build experience with board-level priorities, governance matters, committee participation and structure,” Edelman explains.

For CIOs, what are the main benefits
For CIOs, there are two main benefits: learning about topics outside their usual comfort zones and making new contacts. As part of their board work, CIOs get exposed to issues outside the usual IT list, including finance, global competition and government relations, Says Grant Gordon, Managing Director at Intronic Solutions Group, a professional staffing firm focused on IT and engineering.

Smart CIOs then apply this boardroom knowledge to their own organizations. For example, a CIO who, while sitting on a board, has approved a multimillion-dollar capital budget is now well equipped to explain the benefits of IT in terms that his or her own company’s board will appreciate and understand.

How can CIOs who serve on boards of directors exert the greatest influence?
Surprisingly, one big challenge is adjusting to the limitations of a board. Board members, unlike CIOs, can influence strategy but don’t have direct control over a company’s operations. “As a board member, you don’t run operations,” Edelman of Avon Products agrees. “Therefore, your contribution is about influence, about probing to understand the risks and opportunities associated with proposals and strategies, to stretch thinking and to focus on the ‘bigger picture.’ If you’re used to being highly short-term focused or are directive by nature, this can require an adjustment of thinking and style.”

Also, all CIOs should obtain permission from their primary employer before joining another company’s board. It’s possible that the company whose board you’re joining could be a direct competitor — or a competitor of a major customer. “A CIO should discuss his or her interest in joining a board with the person they report to and both their employer’s and the company’s chief counsel,” Edelman advises. “Think through how your own company can benefit from your service on another company’s board.”

Once a CIO gets the green light to join a board, he or she should ensure a smooth transition by doing some company, meet with the CFO, meet with current board members and senior management,” Edelman recommends. “You need to learn enough to have a perspective on the cultural fit and the alignment with your values.”

Bob Violino is a freelance writer in Massapequa Park, N.Y. He covers a variety of business and technology topics.