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From the Field
Fields Of Success Newsletter January 28, 2009
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Dear From the Field Subscribers,
This is the fourth edition in the You, Inc. series of articles. You, Inc. is the application of the Business Management Process to Career Management.
Applying Establishing the Business to Establishing You, Inc. includes:
- Identifying opportunities and market needs.
- Developing products to satisfy market needs.
- Targeting market segments and customers.
- Branding your product.
- Establishing business advisors (e.g. board of directors).
Previous editions focused on steps 1-4. This edition addresses Step 5, establishing your business advisors or personal board of directors. |
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Establishing Your Personal Board of Directors ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Companies establish boards of directors to provide advice and oversight to assist with the management of the company and for guidance on addressing internal and external issues and challenges. Directors bring expertise from their experiences and perspectives from different groups or interests that may have a stake in the company or could impact the company. Board members form committees to leverage their experience and expertise. Common board committees include audit, governance, finance, compensation and public policy. These committees address components that may impact the life of a company.
Just like companies, individuals encounter challenges as they manage their careers or manage You, Inc. These challenges evolve from many professional and personal factors or influences that impact their lives. Why not have your personal board of directors to provide expertise, advice and perspective to address the challenges presented to You, Inc? Why go it alone when there may be resources available to help you?
Establishing your board of directors could include:
- Determining the components of your life that impact the whole you, your professional and personal life.
- Determining the challenges that you need to address within each component.
- Determining what assistance (advice, expertise, reinforcement, encouragement, etc.) that you need to manage the components of You, Inc.
- Establishing profiles of individuals that you would like to invite to join your board.
- Asking (recruiting) persons who fit the profiles to serve on your board.
Professional components of You, Inc. could include professional development, career decisions, career planning, technical advice and ideas.
Personal components could include work/family life balance, relationship management and personal financial management.
Information to determine the challenges to include in the scope of your board can be derived from:
- Assessments of your strengths and development needs, personality, and work style preferences.
- Input from your peers, managers and from people you know and whose opinions you value.
- Books articles and professional journals.
- A personal coach or mentor.
The type of assistance that you need will depend upon factors such as the stage of your career, the way you prefer to interact with others and the way you prefer to communicate, especially when you seek assistance from others. It is also important that the personal chemistry between you and your board members is a good match. A poor match will divert the attention of your board members and you from your core needs to peripheral issues or noise such as personality and personal style conflicts. However, you must not sacrifice the need for candor and objectivity from your board. (Wood needs sanding to become that beautiful piece of furniture. The trick is to find the right type of sandpaper to prepare the wood. Too much friction will make the wood rougher. Too little friction will not smooth the wood. It will only create saw dust.)
As you invite (recruit) board members, keep in mind that people like to help other people. It is human nature. However, human nature is sometimes trumped by the way we approach others for help. You can avoid trumping human nature by:·
- Acknowledging the expertise and knowledge of your candidates (people like to feel good about themselves).
- Informing your candidates of how they can help you and how much of their time you are asking. (People like to help, but they don't like to waste their time.)
- Leveraging strong relationships that you already have. (in the words of the late singer, James Brown, don't go to strangers)
- Allowing individuals time to consider the invitation to join your board. (If you feel that you need a decision right away, you may need the services of a crisis management expert instead of a board member.)
- Thanking the person for accepting the invitation and making the expression of gratitude an on-going activity.
Why carry a load by yourself when there are others available, willing and able to help.
Linwood Bailey
Principal
Fields of Success |
| About From the Field
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fields of Success issues From the Field semi-monthly. From the Field provides suggestions, ideas and tips focused on helping corporate professionals increase their effectiveness and manage their careers. | |
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About Fields of Success
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Fields of Success provides information, perspective and structure to assist individuals and organizations with the accomplishment of their goals and objectives.
Fields of Success provides value to its customers through the delivery of business and coaching products and services. The company focuses on satisfying the needs of entry to middle management level corporate professionals.
Are you interested in learning more about forming your personal board of directors or discussing other professional needs, challenges and ideas?
Would you like a free introductory coaching session?
Click here to visit Fields of Success website
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