YOUR PERSONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
by: Kimberly Svoboda
Kris hit the end button on the team call and slowly put her head on her desk with a huge sigh. On the call, she learned that her colleague received the promotion she had been aiming for. Kris had navigated the full range of emotions throughout the call — disbelief, anger, frustration, sadness — and was now feeling numb. She replayed the most recent career discussion with her boss that had taken place a few weeks earlier. It hit her right between the eyes when she thought about how her boss hadn’t been forthright with her and how she hadn’t felt valued by him in a long time. Going over the details in her mind, she realized he stopped making eye contact on their video call and uncomfortably squirmed when she asked what was next for her and mentioned the role she wanted. Clues she hadn’t picked up on at the time now hit her with great clarity. Kris thought through her options and decided to contact the two people she knew would be the best to discuss this situation and help her decide what to do next.
Being intentional about choosing the people you surround yourself with is essential. When you need great advice, having your go-to partners lined up can reap great benefits. Who are the people in your life you turn to when you need advice? Think of those individuals who are good at listening and can help you see situations objectively. Who are your thought partners who will help you consider all options and make the best possible choice?
In addition to being great advice-givers, these people can help raise you to become the best version of yourself. Being selective about who you choose to journey with is critical in supporting you to be the best you can be. One way to ensure you are intentional is to create your Personal Board of Directors. But how do you do that and who should you include? There are several essential roles to consider for membership on your board.
Accountability Partner(s): Who is the person or people who will encourage you and hold you accountable? They will gently, or not so gently, remind you of your commitments and help you stay on track. The person is there for the good and the bad and will both cheer you on toward success and kick you in the tuchus when needed.
Admired Adjacent: This person is someone you admire outside of your direct industry but close enough that there are synergies between what they do well and what you need to learn.
Coach: Someone who encourages, motivates and facilitates your growth.
Complementary Partner: Take an inventory of your strengths and your weaknesses. Once you have your shortcomings identified, look for the person who could fill your gaps.
Critical Thinker: Who in your life is excellent at finding the holes? They are analytical and not afraid to bring up the negatives or challenges with your great new idea. It's a bonus if they can do so tactfully, but sometimes these qualities don’t come in the same package.
Expert: Someone with a high amount of knowledge, specific skills or experience that you want to learn.
Mentor: Someone who has walked the path before you. They have experience and expertise in your areas of interest.
Role Model: A person you look up to who has achieved great success in your specific area.
As you build your personal board of directors, consider these crucial questions:
• Who do you know who would fit this role?
• What are the ways you could you meet this person if you don’t know anyone who would fit a particular function?
• What is your current relationship with this potential personal board member?
• How could you strengthen the relationship further? What’s in it for them? What support will you need?
• What is the frequency of your time together, what will you focus on and how structured will it be?
Curious as to what happened with Kris? Here’s the rest of the story:
Kris contacted her mentor and her coach (two of her Personal Board of Directors) and shared the details of the situation. Both listened carefully and asked her questions to help her see the problem more objectively and evaluate her options.
Her first course of action was to have a conversation with her boss about her disappointment and for feedback on what she would need to do to be ready for the next promotion. The interaction left her feeling brushed off and not hopeful about moving up in the company. While it admittedly scared her, she put her resume together and began to seek out other opportunities outside of the firm. Ultimately, she found a higher-level role with increased pay at another company and tendered her resignation. Kris is thrilled with her new job and feels highly valued at the company. A coworker recently recognized her on a team call stating emphatically, “Kris, I’m so glad you are here; you are already making a big difference!”
Having a tremendous personal board of directors can be invaluable on your journey to being your best and helping you make important decisions.
To do the thing you’ve never done, you must become the person who can make it happen, and surrounding yourself with people who have gone before you is a great way to grow.