I was already more than a decade into my career before I first heard the phrase “personal board of directors”. And even then, I’m not sure that I fully understood what it meant – or how it would become such an important concept for me and so many others.
For those first few years in the working world of Big Corporate, I worked at advertising agencies, leading campaigns and initiatives for several large blue-chip companies as well as smaller brands. I had already been fortunate enough to start building a diverse network of coworkers and colleagues across my industry, although candidly I didn’t yet grasp the full value of that network.
I remember feeling as though I had a plan – a pretty clear plan on how to succeed in the business. It even seemed like things were going well. After all, I had learned so much, done work I was proud to showcase, and even won an award or two along the way (the advertising industry loves nothing more than an award!). And this was all in just a short few years.
Despite this, I found myself hitting an inflection point. I wanted to keep learning and doing more, which meant not just expanding the types of brands I worked with but maybe taking a leap over to the brands themselves (the famous “client side” of the business).
I wish I’d known then what I know now – that by intentionally assembling a personal board of directors, I can reach my goals more quickly and with fewer bumps along the journey to get there. Looking back, here’s how I would do it if I had the chance to do it all over again.
Step 1: Reflect on yourself
Understanding ourselves, including our goals, superpowers, limitations and gaps, along with areas of opportunity, is a great way to begin. Gaining clarity is something that a coach can help with, as a way to crystallize goals and start designing a roadmap to reach them. After gaining that clarity, understanding openly and honestly what you can offer now or would need to seek out externally is critical to mapping things out.
Step 2: Seek out people for support
Research, research, research. Find people who can help fill the gaps that you need filled, and make sure to also seek out those who will be cheerleaders and fans to light your path toward the destination. There is no substitute for positive energy – make sure that you seek out people who will challenge you yet balance that by bringing the right energy into the mix as a motivator.
Step 3: Build the relationship
Once you’ve identified a few of these people, reach out to them and begin building around a common set of values. Express to them what you value about them and why you’re reaching out. Show them that you respect their time and energy, and that you’re looking to be in community with them and learn along the way as you work toward your goals.
Step 4: Nurture the relationship
Reciprocate to help nurture the relationship. Ensure that you’re giving back and offering value to them in return – it doesn’t have to be the same as what they’re offering to you, but it should be something that they value. It’s even better if you can uniquely offer that in return. Be authentic and show that you care about them and their goals as well.
As you build and nurture your personal board of directors, there may be people who come in and out of the circle, and it’s important to remember that this fluidity is normal. We need different people, skills, structures, and energy at different stages in our lives, and the same is true when it comes to our careers.
