Bringing in help

In our businesses we build teams.

We identify, attract and motivate the best talent available in the market to help bring our vision to reality.

However I believe it is not the team we direct that is the critical factor, it is the team we attract to share their wisdom and connections who are the game changers.

Typically these individuals are selected as board advisors who are available to provide advice, and guidance and to share their experiences. Thus helping us to avoid the myriad of pitfalls that affect every business.

Building boards is something I spend my life doing.

Working with businesses to not only attract and engage the best advisors I can find, from across the world but also ensuring that the business gets the best value from them.

However, ensuring your board is performing at an optimal level is no easy thing to achieve. These will all be successful individuals in their own right and take a certain skill to get value from. This is where a great chairman is essential.

 "The work of a team should always embrace a great player but the great player must always work." Alex Ferguson        

Here are my key points to ensure your board performance is optimised.

1. There is a need to be clear about each board member's responsibility and measures to ensure they are delivering.
2. Focus discussions with the board on the future, frame conversations around strategy and ensure you share as much information with them as possible.
3. Sweat their networks. Those who accept board positions have spent their careers building hugely valuable networks and you need to access this.
4. Governance & Compliance require expertise. Ensure at least one of your board advisors can provide the expertise you need to ensure that as the company grows you have an expert on hand to ensure all the decisions taken are compliant with current legislation.
5. And remember the advantage with board advisors is that you can appoint when you need specific skills. For example, if you are considering expanding into Latin America you may bring on board someone with appropriate experience and then stand them down if the project does not go ahead.

And please note it is never too early to appoint a board and advisors.

Articles

1. Don't treat your business like your baby

"It's not the business that is important it's the mission that we have set out to achieve."

2. Are leaders born or made

The lad on the right balancing a parrot on his shoulder is me. I can assure you that until the age of twenty-five, this young man showed no evidence of leadership ability, at all, but within 15 years he was CEO of a London-based company with over 200 staff.

3. Are you chained to your business?

Remember, you run the business, the business doesn't run you!

What's next

For someone who prides himself in planning my week very carefully this week is going to be strange for me. I have been selected for jury service, maybe, hence I have to keep my diary clear.

In London later this month I am hosting a unique event on the Thames. Sign up here to join us.

What Now

1. Please leave a comment sharing your feedback, insight or thoughts on what you have read. This is invaluable as I ensure this publication is adding value for you.
2. Share this newsletter with those in your community if you feel they will find value in receiving a copy: https://www.dhirubhai.net/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7169668571235606528
3. Don't hesitate to DM, or email me at [email protected] if you believe I may be able to assist you in moving your business forward. Helping others is my goal in life and I always have time to talk.