The importance of a personal Board of Advisors
This year, I’ve had the privilege of helping facilitate a women’s circle that provided some structure to think through issues and support one another. One of our first sessions centered on the concept of developing one’s own personal BOARD OF ADVISORS. Companies engage Boards to help them make the right decisions, so why don’t we as individuals? A personal Board of Advisors is a group of respected individuals who will help you thrive. I’ve mainly applied this concept for career development, but there’s no reason it couldn’t work for health or general life improvement as well.
The central theme to one’s BOA is PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. There is a reciprocity involved; we are enriching our advisors’ lives in some way, while they are providing support to us.
The most common question I’m asked about this concept is, “What value can I add to someone who is way ahead of me in their career?”
Here are a few ways you can help your Board of Advisors:
CONNECT: Connecting people is a powerful way to help others. You can introduce them to someone to fill a need they have, or connect them to a resource such as a book or article.
INVITE: I have found time and again that as people gain power, they can also become more isolated. You can invite one of your board members to a new restaurant, a group happy hour, or an event you are involved with such as a non-profit fundraiser.
BE AN EXPERT: Catalog your own unique expertise, such as social media, knowing the newest restaurants and events, your interest in art, or whatever you are already interested and knowledgeable about. Then, when you ask your advisor what challenges they have going on, you’ll already have a few areas in which you might be able help.
This is not a science. Your BOA will ebb and flow; but, when you are in a pickle of a situation, it is comforting to know you have people with specific expertise to whom you can turn. My advice: get started this quarter filling out the BOA template, especially the list of 5 people to be on your BOA. Reach out to each one to say hello and subtly gauge their openness to engage in conversations that matter.
If you are ready to get started, here is a template to help you build your own Board of Advisors.
Reach out if you have any questions.
Warmly,
Bijal
The intent of these emails is to provide different perspectives, ideas, and insights as you navigate the path forward for yourself, your team, your organization, and your family.
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Bijal Choksi, MA, CHPC, ACC