Have you ever had a boss who just didn’t get you? Or who didn’t inspire you? Or who – even worse – competed with you and held you back from your fullest potential? How about one you didn’t trust? Or one that didn’t trust you?
My guess is that you can relate to one if not many of those examples – and have just found your leadership needs lacking.
So rather than counting on your boss to meet those needs – or hoping and wishing that your boss will meet those needs – consider creating a personal board of directors that you can tap into instead.
A board of directors main function is to ensure the optimal growth and results for a company by bringing together experts to support the best interests of the business and it’s stakeholders. There are key roles for each of the board members, including the chairman of the board who often plays the role of the key point of communications.
The concept of a personal board of directors is just like a real board of directors. In this concept, you hand select leaders, advisors and confidants to serve you in a similar way. By starting with a realistic assessment of your gaps and needs for support, you can then evaluate who in your network can help you to build on that opportunity. You may also want to consider people that you admire or want to build a relationship too as a way to expand your growth potential.
Each board member has a specific role to help optimize your leadership potential. By formalizing a relationship with them or at least identifying which member you would tap into for specific development needs, you are able to quickly get the support you’re lacking and grow exponentially faster than if you were just relying on that boss to get you there.
Regardless of the situation you’re in – and whether you want to formalize a personal board of directors around you – never forget the power of your network. People are there to help you and want to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask.
Thank you Avery Bang for sharing this amazing leadership tip with us.