Companies have a Board of Directors so why shouldn’t you? A Personal Board of Directors (PBD) is a group of people that can help you navigate work or life in a way that you can’t do on your own. Strategically selecting 4 – 6 people to be on your PBD can help you be more efficient and effective in how you live, work, and play.
So who should be on your board? Here are 6 types of friends every woman needs:
1. The Connector – someone who knows all the right people or is able to get you connected to the people you need when you need them
2. The Thinker – someone that can help you think through all sides of an idea, opportunity, life event, etc. and help you brainstorm and think strategically
3. The Cheerleader – someone who will always be in your corner no matter what and will pick you up when things are rough
4. The Confidant – someone you can sit with for hours and talk to about anything and everything
5. The Entrepreneur – someone who has left it all behind to start something new
6. The Dream Killer (aka the one you aren’t even sure likes you) – someone who isn’t afraid to say no to you or hurt your feelings, because let’s face it, we all need this sometimes
You can be as formal or informal in this process as you want. Just knowing they are there and what you can learn from them is the most important thing.
As women, should you have all women on your PBD?
No! Remember, the objective of this board is to help you navigate in ways you can’t do on your own. Seeking diverse perspectives, life experiences, points of views, values, etc. will enhance the success of your board and you.
One challenge is being vulnerable and consistently including your Dream Killer during critical ventures of your life. While it’s great to hear from those who support you and cheer you on, it’s equally as important to those who support you in another way. Those who will support you with some tough love or say things out loud that you may not want to hear.
At the end of the day, the decision is always yours. However, your PBD can push you to think about things in ways you hadn’t considered and open up their network to you to help you make the best decision for you.
Think of your PBD as mentoring on steroids. It allows you to have not just one but multiple people to lean on when you need it most.
Don’t forget the importance of serving either. As you are identifying who will be on your board, try to think about who you can serve as a mentor as well!
So, who is on your board of directors? Grab a piece of paper and write them out!
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