Everyone Needs a Personal Board of Directors
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Building Your Personal Board of Directors
Having a personal Board of Directors — a trusted group of people you can tap into for advice, wisdom, guidance, and support — is clutch. Useful for everyone, whether you're a leader or just navigating life's ups and downs, it's important to have a selected few people in your life that you can go to for a whole range of topics.
A personal Board of Directors is helpful for several reasons:
1. Leadership Support
As a leader, it’s common to feel like you're going it alone. However, tapping into a colleague with experience and wisdom can provide valuable insights, perspective, encouragement, or a sounding board to talk things through. An HR person, for instance, is great if you’re dealing with personnel issues. For example, maybe helping you talk through what to say in a difficult conversation.
2. Trusted Advisors
Having a trusted set of advisors is invaluable. These people can help you navigate challenges, provide different perspectives, and offer advice on how to deal with various situations. It’s really useful to have these people to tap into, especially when dealing with tricky or unfamiliar issues.
3. Building Networks
The power of networking is another significant benefit. The more you network and build in your career, the more you know people in other organizations and outside of your business. It’s incredibly helpful to have a broad network of people you can potentially tap into when you need a support. These types of connections build relationships and your network.
4. Personal Support
This advice isn’t just for professional situations. On a personal level, having someone responsible and dialed in can be a great asset. Seek out people who model the kinds of behavior and life that you admire, like dealing with conflict well, etc. One or two people like that in your life can help you in a big way to navigate personal challenges.
Practical Steps to Build Your Board
Identify the Right People: Look for people who are experienced, wise, and responsible. These could be colleagues, mentors, or other professionals in your network. Make sure that you also vibe well and feel like a good fit.
Diversify Your Group: Make sure your board includes people with different expertise and perspectives. This will provide access to a broader range of advice and insights.
Communicate Regularly: Maintain and nurture these relationships. Regular communication and connection helps build trust and a willingness to support each other.
Be Open & Honest: When seeking advice, be vulnerable and open about your challenges. Be humble, curious, and receptive to their feedback and perspectives.
Build Your Network Proactively: Continue to network and build relationships. The larger your network, the more options you’ll have access to when you need advice or support.
Final Thoughts
Having a personal Board of Directors is a game-changer for anyone, especially leaders.
Leadership can often feel isolating; often it feels like you have to all the answers and make perfect decisions, which can be a lot of extra weight. The truth is that you will never have all the answers. Seeking advice from others is massively useful and smart.
If you don't already have one, build one for yourself. The benefits are immense, and the support, encouragement, and guidance you receive will be endlessly valuable.
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This article was created by Galen Emanuele for the #culturedrop. Free leadership and team culture content in less than 5 minutes a week. Check out the rest of this month's content and subscribe to the Culture Drop at https://bit.ly/culturedrop