We’d all like to think that we’re the smartest person in the room. But as the Japanese proverb says, “None of us is as smart as all of us.”
Regardless of your intellect and talents, you are always trapped inside your own life. Your viewpoint is unique because of your background and experiences. So is everyone else’s. If all of our viewpoints are different, by definition that means that everyone out there has information or perspective that you don’t have.
So when you’re working through a challenge in your career, it’s a good idea to tap into some of those alternate perspectives.
One way to do that is to maintain a personal Board of Directors. No, they don’t need titles and expensive perqs. Your personal Board of Directors is the collection of people in your life that you trust to tap for advice and insight. If you had a crisis at work that you had to vent about (and eventually address), who would you call? What type of advice would you expect that person to give?
The beauty of relationships is that each has a different focus, language and patter. Your best friend may commiserate with you, your mentor may advise you, your coach may ask you questions. All of these serve different purposes for you, both in sorting out the issue at hand and in dealing with the emotional fallout.
So who should you have in your personal BOD?
- A family member. Someone who loves you unconditionally and will encourage you when you’re frustrated.
- A close friend. This person makes you laugh and see the absurdity in the situation.
- A confidante. Someone you trust enough to be completely honest with. Some people seek out a coach or counselor for this purpose. Others are lucky to have a friend or family member in this category.
- A mentor. If you have an official mentor, all the better. Otherwise, forge a relationship with someone in your field with 10 more years experience than you have. Their insights will be priceless.
- The learned. An academic viewpoint is always a good place to start, especially dealing with complex topics (think: ethics.) They may also have resources to share.
- A connector. The better networked they are, the better for you. This person helps you find someone to tackle the challenge with you if they can’t do it themselves.
You may find that one person meets two, or more, of these categories. The point is that by reaching out for a variety of viewpoints from people who can add value, you increase the chances of making a balanced, well-reasoned choice.
photo credit: Unhindered by Talent
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