How to Fast-Track Your Career

Being a Product Leader is a lonely job, but you're not alone! I'm here to help you advance your career and so are many other options.

This is the first post where we're trying the ONLY 3 Questions You EVER Need approach to laying out the article, tell me if you love it or hate it [email protected]

WHERE TO:?

Most people want to feel successful, especially at work. When we are successful it’s even better when we are recognized for our contributions and EVEN better if that means we’ve earned a promotion and salary increase. If you want to accelerate your career trajectory, it’s all about knowing the right next steps to take and actually taking them.?

WHERE FROM:?

As you climb the corporate ladder, it becomes harder to connect with people who get you. People with similar lived experiences who understand you when you talk about your struggles, and who can give you sound, actionable advice that actually helps.

In today’s competitive, ever-evolving business and tech landscape, having someone to turn to for support makes a significant difference. But it also feels like a distant dream, right? Not anymore.

WHERE NEXT:?

In this article, I will show you how to overcome the loneliness that comes with product leadership roles, and how you can feel supported while advancing your career. How even if you can’t engage with a coach like me, you can find quality sources of guidance and accountability partners to keep you going.

There is a secret to it… and it’s called “Personal Advisory Board”.

What Is a Personal Advisory Board?

You’re likely familiar with the concept of Board of Directors for organizations. It’s a group of individuals who oversee activities and decisions, provide strategic guidance, ensure accountability, and protect the interests of shareholders or stakeholders.

A Personal Advisory Board is similar but, in this case, YOU are the organization. This group of trusted advisors and mentors provides guidance, feedback, and support to help you achieve your career and personal goals. They’re individuals in situations similar to yours, offering advice based on their experiences.

These should be people who know you well. They should understand your strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. They should also deeply care about your growth and success.

The more diverse the group, the better. Variety in perspectives enriches discussions and enhances your approach to challenges. These people should also be candid and ready to provide constructive feedback to help you progress.

A Personal Advisory Board is similar to having a coach. As a Product Leader Coach, I see first-hand how this work can significantly impact professional success. A Personal Advisory Board is like coaching but, instead of one-to-one, it’s one-to-many. This greatly increases the benefits you receive. The support and advice from a group let you tap into collective learning and expertise that can propel you forward much faster.

And if you’re wondering if you need any support at all, from a coach or a PersonalAdvisory Board, consider this: have you ever tried a personal trainer at the gym? It makes a huge difference! You can work out alone but it takes way longer to see results - if you see them at all.

How Does a Personal Advisory Board Work?

You could assemble your own Board of Directors from the people you know. This could work but requires significant effort to organize and persuade people.

A more efficient alternative is to join an existing program. A few organizations offer this, such as Venwise or Sidebar . Each program is slightly different, but the main idea behind all of them is to connect like-minded people who can support each other in their careers, providing accountability partnership, and deeply personalized advice.

In general terms:

• After applying and passing an acceptance interview, you are matched with a small group of 6-10 similar, yet diverse peers.
• The group is made up of people with deep experience in industries relevant to your career.
• The board meets regularly over a long period, which allows compounding growth and a program focused on achieving your goals.
• In each session, you present a problem you're facing. The group asks clarifying questions and provides insights to help you develop a plan to solve it.
• Sessions are facilitated by an experienced coach to ensure you’re getting the most out of your time and commitment.

If you want to learn more in detail about how these programs work, make sure to watch my Ask Me Anything conversation on product leadership with Lexy Franklin, ex-Meta PM and CEO of Sidebar .

How Will It Benefit YOU?

The concept of a Personal Advisory Board is exciting but also profoundly effective. 93% of Sidebar members affirm that being part of the program has made a significant difference in their career trajectory. But how exactly? Here are the primary benefits you will achieve:

• Career Acceleration: surrounding yourself with a Personal Advisory Board is the fastest, surest way to progress in your career. It connects you to a network of people who genuinely care about your interests and offer insightful advice for your next career move.
• Accountability: your chances of success increase with accountability partners. This study found that you have a 65% chance of completing a goal if you tell someone else you’re committing to doing it. This likelihood rises to 95% when you have check-ins with a partner.
• Collective Problem-Solving: sessions with your Personal Advisory Board often focus on resolving real problems you're facing. This lifts the weight off your shoulders and distributes it amongst all these brilliant people. They are there to help you make the right decision, leveraging their diverse points of view and expertise. It’s like a bullet-proof decision-making exercise.
• Tailored Support and Guidance: your Personal Advisory Board exists to support YOU. This is not a one-size-fits-all program with generic lessons. It’s customized to you, your needs, and your career, ensuring you feel supported throughout.
• Where To?: Being in such an environment is perfect to help you understand what should be the next step towards your “Where To?”. If you want to learn more about this concept, I suggest you watch my “Where To?” talk .

These are just some of the most obvious upsides of having a Personal Advisory Board. But there is one benefit that underlies them all: feeling supported and understood. No more tackling problems alone - you can leave those days behind.

Is a Personal Advisory Board Right For YOU?

Even after realizing the benefits of a Personal Advisory Board, you might be questioning “Okay, but is this the right step for ME?”. While a Personal Advisory Board is helpful for most people, it holds the most value if you are in any of these situations:

• You've reached a plateau in your career and are unsure about how to advance to the next level. A Personal Advisory Board advises on overcoming this obstacle and progressing in your career.
• You’re looking to develop your personal brand and presence. A brand needs an audience, and a Personal Advisory Board provides a controlled environment for experimentation before exposing your brand to the world.
• You are interested in exploring entrepreneurship, fractional work, or consulting. The diverse perspectives from your Personal Advisory Board can offer valuable insights into different roles that might be a suitable next step for you. It's also an excellent networking opportunity for potential collaborations.
• You are a new leader. If you’ve just stepped into a new position and want to establish a strong relationship with the CEO and management, your Personal Advisory Board likely comprises people in these roles. Their perspectives help you tailor your actions to better resonate with the management at your company.

If you don’t fit any of the points above but you still feel this might be the right next step for you, feel free to DM me. I’d be happy to discuss this with you and help you gain some clarity.

Conclusion

At this point, you must be thinking: “This is exactly what I need! Where can I enroll?”. If you decide to go with Sidebar, the next cohort starts in October but the interviews for new members are already under way.

If you don’t want to miss out on this opportunity, sign up here or DM me to get one of my fast-track invites to schedule your interview.

The future you want is waiting for you, you just have to want to get it!?

Hi! I’m Tami, the founder of The Product Leader Coach where I work with product leaders and teams to realize their potential by focusing on their strengths. If you enjoyed this post, I am available for product leadership coaching or team training. Learn more about my services and upcoming children’s book .