New Year's Resolution: Build a Personal Board of Directors

Now, on to a post by my colleague Becky Shambaugh. Becky wrote It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor and her new book is on leadership resilience. In a recent blog she writes that one of the secrets of resilience is connectedness which includes having a personal board of directors. That’s an element of your network that we haven’t discussed here and merits consideration as a New Year’s resolution.

My personal board of directors are trusted associates who are committed to my success (as I am to theirs), we have complementary skill sets (they often see things differently) and while we like and respect each other, we aren’t necessarily close friends. I count on them for reality checks, advice, feedback, business insights and connections. In a Fast Company article, this advice was given about what kind of people to invite into your board of directors:

Consider having one or two free agents along with a clarifier who asks clear questions, a connector who leads you to other people, a challenger who helps you act boldly, and a wise elder or sage. You want to draw upon the wisdom of people with diverse perspectives who think differently than you do.

If you’re interested in the benefits and how-tos of a personal board of directors, check out these articles:

• Building a Stella Personal Board of Directors (great how-to article from Glass Hammer)
• A mentor article about a personal board of directors from the Glass Hammer.
• And this article from one of my top business gurus, Jim Collins, who writes, “a personal board of directors composed of seven people you deeply respect and would not want to let down. A group like a set of tribal elders that you turn to for guidance at times of ethical dilemma, life transitions, and difficult choices, people who embody the core values and standards you aspire to live up to.”

When looking ahead to 2010 and your strategic networking goals, consider building your personal board of directors.

Network ON!
By Susan Colantuono, CEO and Founder Leading Women and author of No Ceiling, No Walls