I think, as is true of any board of directors (or body of elders for that matter), there are a few general personality types.
You have a few who are there for the "right" reasons, ie they believe in the cause or company, want to help, do the right thing etc etc
you have a few who are loyal soldiers and were asked to join the board because they wont make waves and can be manipulated
some may not have wanted to say "no" because they thought it was an honor even if even if they didnt want the work...
and some people want power, plain and simple.
I saw it first hand in losche when was appointed to the gb (i was in Brooklyn unfortunately). Lunatic, full of himself, crazy ass theories that he liked to spout, liked to brag abput how many langues he spoke, talked to down american jw's about american customes and on and on...
tight pants tony really takes the cake on that though. The final straw for me was during the "zone visit" four or five years ago when he gave the now legendary "tight pants" talk. He sumerized all his asinine self promoting rules by saying, and i quote his arrogant ass directly, "if you dont like you can take it up with jesus". That arrogant son of a bitch actually put HIS words and rules on par with jesus. Although i was fully awake already that was really the final moment of 'oh hell no' for me. And whats worse, he was directly saying he wasnt going to listen any debate about his PERSONAL rules and views. Instead, if you dont like it, talk to his imaginary brother that he gets his imaginary authority from, which is of course impossible, because its all imaginary.
So yea, some of them may be true believers and some may be along for the ride but at least two of them are power hungry hungry asshats who know EXACTLY what they are doing and why.