Be the CEO of Your Career: Building a Personal Board of Directors

One thing we know about success: it isn’t won alone. Every person at the top would admit they got there with a little help along the way.

But how can you make sure you get the help you need? As I grew my career and started to seek upper-level management positions, I was given a great piece of advice: manage your career like a business and develop your own personal “board of directors”.

Think of it like this. Every successful business needs insights and advice from the outside. And your career is no different.

But building a personal board of directors is different from having a mentor or advocates. Typically, a mentor provides overall guidance and advice but may not have expertise in all the areas you need. Advocates are the people fighting for your advancement and building your business case for promotion. And most often these will be people you work for or with.

A personal board of directors is subtly different. This will be made up of people you’re close to—oftentimes outside of your company—and who have a vested interest in your happiness and success.

So what should you be looking for in your personal board members? Here are some of the roles you might consider filling:

The CHRO. It’s important to have a friend (or two) that works in a similar industry as yours but not necessarily at the same company. While comparison is the thief of joy, it’s always helpful to understand what others in similar roles are doing and it’s a great way to stay on the pulse of what’s going on in your industry.

It’s easy to become complacent in your role. But having a friend in the same field, or even being a member of a trade association of your peers, keeps you honest. It challenges you to grow, helps you keep tabs on what others are doing that’s innovative, and gives you insight into what the current salary ranges are. It can also help you recognize when it’s time to make a move if you’re not progressing as quickly as your peers doing similar work.

The Treasurer or CFO. Like in any well-run business, your finances matter. So it’s important to have a good accountant and/or finance person to guide you based on your career goals. While money shouldn’t be the sole motivator in your career, of course, it’s always going to be an important factor. Understanding the lifestyle you want versus the one you can currently afford is critical. You never want to get into a position where your debts mean you have to stay in your current role just to survive. Getting to a point of financial freedom will make life decisions so much easier. And good financial advice can help you do that faster.

The CMO. Personal branding has become the latest buzzword—but it really does matter. And even if you’re a marketer yourself, you can still learn a lot from your peers in different areas. For example, I recently hired a social media coach to help me up my game on LinkedIn. I’d say that taking the time to work on what you want to be known for and how you can build your personal brand to the outside world is now table stakes for finding your next job, as well as spotting media opportunities, board seats, and so on. So find a friend in the marketing world that can put some polish on your personal brand, presentation skills, and social media presence.

The Chief Strategy Officer. This may be a role your mentor can fill. If you want to grow your career, you need a plan. So find a mentor whose career you admire and understand what steps they took to get where they are. If this person is willing to help you craft your own career journey, all the better. Ideally this will be a friend you can check in with regularly—that’s the best way to keep you honest about your progress.

The Chairman on Board. This role should be filled by the most important person (or people) in your life. It could be your spouse, your kids, or any other family members or loved ones. Every major decision you make will have an impact on them so it’s important to understand their views and perspectives on your career decisions. In the end, without your “Chairman on Board,” you’ll have difficulty achieving the success you want.

One final thought. This works both ways. So you shouldn’t ask others to be on your board, unless you’re ready to be on the board for them. In fact, it’s a win-win. You’ll find it’s a much richer experience if you share your expertise while gaining the expertise of someone else. So give back and you may learn something new along the way…

I hope you've enjoyed this article and will share your thoughts in the comments.

#mentoring #career #careeradvice #leadership

Note: This article is a personal perspective and not connected to my current employer.