Evolve U

Who’s in Your Five?

10th July, 2009 - Posted by Shaunice Hawkins - No Comments

I love a challenge.  Anytime there’s an opportunity to compete – sports, games, cook-offs – you name it…I’m there!  I suppose one could attribute my brazen behavior to being a tomboy or an Alpha-Female or having a Type A personality.  Regardless as to the catalyst, I say, “Let’s get ready to rumble!”  So when T-Mobile (in a recent advertising campaign) asked, “Who’s in Your Five?” I had been offered a challenge I couldn’t refuse.

“What nerve!” I’d thought smugly at T-Mobile’s audacity. Were the T-Mobile folks to ignorant to the hundreds possibly thousands of friends I’d had on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Friendster, Classmates, Talent2050, Meetup, Ning, etc. that they’d ask such a question? How dare they’d ask me to narrow down my social circle to just five? The gauntlet had been thrown; the battle begun.

 Using strategies from Sun Tzu’s Art of War, I determined to outsmart my opponent.  As I pondered long and hard as to whom from my vast cadre of peers could be “Five” worthy, I had an Aha! moment.  I wouldn’t give T-Mobile the satisfaction of using people from my social network as I knew they’d hope I would.  Instead I’d use my secret weapon: my most trusted colleagues and my closest confidants (those ninja-like warriors who lurk in the shadows anticipating and watching over my every move ready to be of assistance) [queue mysterious music]…”The Five Venoms” a.k.a. my Personal Board of Directors (PBOD).  (Did I mention that in addition to being highly competitive that I have a flair for the dramatic? LOL)

 A Board of Directors is a body of elected or appointed corporate officials who jointly oversee the activities of a company or an organization.  A Personal Board of Directors (PBOD) is a group of carefully selected advisors who jointly oversee the activities of an individual.

 While the responsibilities of both boards vary with the nature of the respective entities, both have duties that include: 

• supervising leadership
• strategic planning
• human resources management
• financial oversight
• fundraising
• marketing, promotions and public relations
• organizational development
• organizational performance

 Everyone serious about his/her personal and career evolution should have a PBOD.  Your PBOD, like mine, should include trusted individuals or stakeholders (no more than five) who have a vested interest in your overall success.  Although you needn’t collectively meet in-person, you should confab with each on a regular basis to discuss “you”.

You are the chair, chief executive officer, president and chief branding officer of the entity best known as YOU, Inc.  It is your charge to direct and lead YOU, Inc. toward the achievement of your personal and/or career philosophy, mission, vision, strategy, goals and objectives.  By partnering with your PBOD, YOU, Inc. can develop, grow and thrive. Here’s how.

 

Supervising Leadership

• You and the PBOD have a strategic relationship. As you manage YOU, Inc.’s day-to-day operations, your PBOD regularly monitors your progress to ensure that overall “organizational” goals are being met and that you have the necessary tools and talent you need to do so.

 

Strategic Planning

• Your PBOD helps to you to determine You, Inc.’s direction over a period of time (1 year, 3 years, 5 years).  By identifying and clarifying You, Inc.’s purpose, target market, trajectory and competition, you and your PBOD can make important decisions as to the types and amount of resources needed to pursue your strategy. 

 

Human Resources Management

• “No man is an island…” so the poem goes.  In order for YOU, Inc. maintain competitive edge and remain profitable, you and your PBOD will need to determine your staffing needs.  In other words, your PBOD can make recommendations as to whom you should be connecting to and networking with to advance You, Inc.’s strategy. Remember, success is built on relationships.

 

Financial Oversight

• Your PBOD does not serve as your personal ATM or You, Inc.’s investment bank. However, you can allow them fiduciary oversight if you so choose.  Your PBOD can advise you as to the best ways to save, invest, reduce and/or eliminate debt and can be the voice of reason when considering weighty financial matters (i.e. starting a business).

 

Fundraising

• Perhaps, as previously mentioned, YOU, Inc. wants to franchise via a new business. Your PBOD can help you seek out sources of capital by finding ways to monetize your ideas and by identifying potential investors and sponsors.

 

Marketing, Promotions & Public Relations

• As You, Inc. grows and develops, your PBOD can help you market and promote the brand.  They can work with you to communicate all of newsworthy activities YOU, Inc.’s been involved in and can raise YOU, Inc.’s visibility with investors and sponsors. 

 

Organizational Development

• Amongst all of your responsibilities, it is your job to build and expand YOU, Inc.’s capability and capacity.  You and your PBOD should periodically perform a needs assessment based on YOU, Inc.’s progress against goals.  Based on the evaluation, you can each determine what tools, resources, continuing education, etc. are required to achieve those intended goals.

 

Organizational Performance

• Your PBOD can help you ensure that YOU, Inc. performs above par. By monitoring and tracking YOU, Inc.’s successes and failures, your PBOD can help you map out contingency plans should unexpected circumstances cause YOU, Inc. to suffer a setback and can forecast challenges and obstacles that may attempt impede future progress. 

Finally, having a Personal Board of Directors that are diverse in culture, management style, thought, discipline, expertise, etc. allows you to broaden YOU, Inc.’s scope and reach from the insular to the global.

 

FINAL THOUGHT
It is in your best interest to convince others it is in their best interest to put your interests first. ~ Anonymous