4 Steps To Build a Personal Board of Directors (Because You're the CEO of your career)

Think of Yourself as a 'Business-of-One'

You are responsible for creating your own job title and carving out a successful career. You are also the primary decision maker in your professional life. This is why it is helpful to think of yourself as your own business with you at the helm as CEO.

This shift of mindset is important as we can no longer rely on having a secure job for the next 30 years at a "safe big company".

Career change is the new normal and job security is nonexistent.  Incorporating a business approach into your career planning and development, no matter the path you are on, is a must. 

Being the CEO of your career involves taking full control and being responsible for your own future. It requires you to be strategic and diligent about ongoing skill-development and education. It also means recognizing your value and investing in yourself so that you can continue to position yourself as an asset.

And just like big organisations and non-profits have a board of directors who hold the CEO accountable as a steward and guardian of the business assets, key decisions and investments, you can develop a similar concept to support your own career. 

What is a 'Personal Board of Directors'

A personal board of directors is the small group of people that you go to for support and advice on advancing your career. Ideally, the "board" consists of individuals who have a strong personal and professional interest in seeing you flourish and succeed.

The board should consist of five to eight carefully selected individuals that you can rely on to strategize with and to act as your personal sounding board when it comes to your professional development.

It is a bit like having multiple mentors. If you are serious about progressing your career you must tap into the broadest possible base of experience and insight. The point of having a personal board of advisors is to get feedback from people who are more seasoned than you are and can view your career objectively.

Think of the various viewpoints these advisors/mentors provide as a mirror that brings you clarity.

What Can a Board Do For You?

1. Open Doors & Expand Your Network: Every individual who sits on your board holds the key to doors that otherwise may be closed to you. They can be your door to key business contacts, prospects, and others who can help you.  
2. Provide Support: Your personal board of directors will not only help you in hard times, but will also be there to celebrate successes and the milestones of your career. This group of allies will put their arms around you in good times and bad.
3. Develop You: You will learn a lot from just modeling, observing and watching competent, smart, versatile individuals apply principles and exercise skills in real life.
4. Coach & Challenge: It’s not just a matter of sharing their views; the very best board members will actively challenge you and ask the really hard questions about your grand strategy and plans. This will help you discover and get clear on the potential flaws in your plan.
5. Advocate for You: Your board members can act as an advocate for you. They can sell your skills and experience to hiring managers on the lookout for talent. They can perhaps get you into key meetings, make sure you take the right training and make it onto the high potential list.  

And most importantly, they can hold you accountable for your actions and behavior impacting your professional performance.

Who Should Be On Your Personal Board of Directors

Aim for diversity and a rich mix of experiences.

Consider asking and approaching individuals who:

• Have your best interest at heart
• Are in a position you aspire to have someday
• Work in an entirely different industry sector
• Come from another company in your industry (that you don’t compete with)
• Are experts in an area/subject you need to learn more about
• Can encourage you and feed your spirit to invest in yourself and your development
• Skilled at looking at an organization or sector and sizing up what’s happening now and where the trends are likely to lead
• Truth-tellers who are willing to risk ticking you off.

The types of people that you should have on your board include:

Mentors – senior people who can share their experience with you

Peers – trusted colleagues who you can open up to and who have your back

Sponsors – individuals with influence at your current company to help you increase your visibility

Experts – an external industry leader who can teach you and show you new ways to approach things

Coach – someone who holds up the mirror to you.  

How to Put Your Board Together

Below are some key steps for selecting and maintaining your board:

STEP 1 - Map it out 

Draw a large board room table on a sheet of paper with seats and put yourself at the head. Then start to identify who is already at the table helping and guiding you and do an analysis. Is your group diverse enough?

STEP 2 - Be Specific. Be Clear.

Get clear on what you want from these individuals. What specific advice or help do you want from them? Respect people's time.

STEP 3 - Diversify

Strive for diversity in background & education, geography, expertise, and industry. Who or what is missing that you believe would help you along the way: are they all from the same gender and geography? The more perspective you have, the richer the picture is.

STEP 4 - Take Stock & Evaluate

Continually take stock of who is on your board and who else might need to be there. Evaluate the composition of your board often to determine what type of individuals you need to help you succeed at the next stage of your career. It's important that you treat your board as a dynamic entity.

You are the CEO.

Your career is a business –– and you’re the CEO. You’re running this business, the product is you. You need sound advice from as many perspectives as you can get to be able to craft a winning business/career strategy.

We all need a supportive community of people who help us. Your board is your community. If you let your 'advisors' guide you, your career will soar.

About the Author

Arpad is an Executive Search & Leadership Assessment professional and a former aviation lawyer. He is an experienced consultant with specialised expertise in the engineering, infrastructure and manufacturing sectors, as well as aerospace & defence. www.centreforaviationpsychology.com/about