One of the best pieces of advice I ever received came from a friend who spent time in the navy: “Always have a board of directors.” In a corporate setting, a board’s role is to guide the organization, providing strategic direction based on experience, and offering access to resources through their personal and professional networks.

You can (and should) have the same thing in your personal life. 2-3 people in your life you deeply trust and respect that can weigh in on the challenges you’re going through, be they in your career, relationships, or finances.

Why You Need a Personal Board of Directors

When I bring problems to my board, they challenge me. They help me explore the issue and my own perceptions / reactions through several different lenses. They help me discover a path forward and offer resources to ensure I have the best chance of success.

Having that sounding board has enabled me to identify so many of my own shortcomings and figure out ways to work around those things.

Choosing the Right People for Your Board

Choosing your board can be challenging, and I think is a very personal process. These are some qualities in my own board I very much appreciate.

  1. Experience – The people on my board have decades of leadership and management experience. It’s not in my specific domain, but it turns out that doesn’t matter much.
  2. Diverse Perspectives – Two of my four board members are retired Navy Chiefs. I don’t have a military background, and neither does my family. This wasn’t an intentional choice, but that background being so different from mine has been an asset way more often than an obstacle. Another works in corporate finance, and the fourth works in social work.
  3. Trust – A relationship of trust means that the they will say the sometimes hurtful thing when you need to hear it.

Making Decisions and Giving Back

I struggle when I’m not learning and growing. Growth requires change, and change can be terrifying. These people help me navigate those waters, giving me feedback to help me make decisions about my career, personal life, and goals.

My father always told me, “You’re the one that knows what’s best for you.” The feedback can only take you so far. At the end of the day, you have to make the decision for yourself.

And that’s only the beginning. Are you someone’s board member? Are you someone’s mentor? If not, why not?