Do You Have Privy Council? A Personal Board of Unicorns?
It was about this time of year in 1787, just a few months after President George Washington took office. He wanted to form an advisory board to solicit advice on “interesting questions of national importance.”
Initially proposed as “The Privy Council,” it was ultimately given the name “The Cabinet” which is the name still used today.
We all have interesting questions of professional importance!
Washington recognized the importance of surrounding himself with individuals who would support, challenge and champion the ideas that were important to him and to America. We too, can stay personally anchored when we engage others intentionally, purposefully and regularly.
When building a personal leader brand, your own brand that you build over time through your actions and your visibility, we always recommend establishing a Personal Board of Directors. This is a group of individuals who will support and challenge you when you need it, help you network and open doors, and champion you and your career aspirations.
The who and what of your Personal Board of Directors.
Your personal board should be made up of individuals who have diverse perspectives and experiences (industries, roles, geographies) and have different networks of people in their orbits.
Members should be outside of your current organization – and be individuals who are non-competitive, not related and have demonstrated a willingness to be there for you and your career.
Composition of your board can include a peer sounding board, two connectors or door openers, a mentor or advisor, and a subject matter expert (your ‘phone a friend’ for seemingly dumb questions).
The when, where and how …
Unlike a public or non-profit board, your Personal Board of Directors doesn’t meet, provide governance or accountability for you, or work together on shared initiatives. In fact, you don’t even need to formally invite them to be part of your board – though asking someone to be a mentor or advocate does give the other person purpose and validate their value.
Individual engagement should be purposeful at ideally at a pre-determined frequency. During discussions, your board director can provide advice, answer questions and tell you the straight-up truth when you are out of bounds. She can also promote you to her network, open doors and help you find new opportunities to achieve your goals.
Your board director is not the personal equivalent of Shel Silverstein’s “Giving Tree” (a book that makes me sad every time I read it). In the story, the tree gave to the boy until there was no more to give. Every director has limits and your relationship should be benevolent and two-way. Ask her questions about herself and what you can do to support her in her own endeavors.
And why?
We all need a go-to set of people who demonstrate care, serve as a safe place to have a “human moment” and help with self-compassion. I’m not getting soft on you. Dr. Kristen Neff, a leading researcher and authority suggests that self-compassion includes:
Being kind to ourselves rather than judging ourselves in a harsh way
Recognizing that we are all imperfect and not isolating ourselves when we make mistakes
Not being consumed by comparing ourselves to others and feeling inadequate or like an imposter
Self-compassionate people are less reactive, and have fewer negative emotions, have more accepting thoughts, are more resilient, have greater perspective and are happier and healthier.
The final and big benefit of having a Personal Board of Directors is that it takes the mixed emotions out of networking and makes it easier. It’s especially important for those who don’t like networking in a big open room – or today, being part of large Zoom meetings. Be sure to include some networked, door openers on your board who are resourceful in using their network.
Getting started.
To get moving on your Personal Board of Directors, ask yourself these questions:
What support do I need or am I missing?
What do I have to give in return to someone who is helping me?
Who are my candidates and what are their credentials (industry, experience, role, geography)?
How often will I engage and how will I engage – phone, Zoom, in-person, text?
My Wolfpack
My own Personal Board of Directors is called “The Wolf Pack.” Wolves naturally organize themselves into packs to maintain stability and assist with hunting. Each wolf in the pack has a clear role or responsibility and a unique personality.
Wolves are extremely loyal and resilient, and together show signs of great strength. And through body language, howl and scent, they sent messages to one another about the support they need. It’s the same thing with my Wolf Pack – when I howl, they will help.
In some cases, I have weekly calls, and in other cases, we send each other “text hugs” to let each other know that we are thinking of each other. I have asked certain people to officially be part of my wolf pack and have gotten chuckles and acceptances every time.
Call to action
Give your Personal Board of Directors a name – something memorable that you can rally yourself around. A Kitchen Cabinet. A Wolfpack. A Privy Council. Or what a colleague calls her Personal Board of Unicorns.
Determine who is on your board. Washington’s cabinet included Alexander Hamilton (treasury), Thomas Jefferson (secretary of state), Henry Knox (secretary of war) and Edmund Randolph (attorney general).
Who serves as your Hamilton, Jefferson, Knox and Randolph?
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Perri Richman is a corporate brand and reputation leader who is motivated by the idea that brands can be built through the behavior of people.
