Navigating Your Success: Building Your Personal Board of Directors for the Win

Ever wonder about the power players behind a successful career? It's time to unlock the secret recipe for professional triumph with your own personal board of directors. In my latest podcast, I delve into the transformative strategy of some enlightening authors to show you how to assemble your career dream team. Through anecdotes and my own experience, I'll reveal the critical roles mentors, sponsors, and even 'friend-tors' play in the tech and design industries. You'll learn how to cultivate a diverse support system that acts as your career's backbone, and understand why having separate 'squads' for different areas of life is not just helpful, but necessary. 

As I recorded the year was coming to a close but as we start a new year, it's crucial to reflect on our personal time off and how it can be used to enhance our career support network. In this conversation, I prompt you to consider who you would want in your corner, guiding and propelling you towards your goals. Don't miss the chance to gain from our upcoming episodes featuring special guests and a wealth of career insights. Ensure you subscribe, leave a review, and for those looking to take their career to the next level, check out the show notes for links to my coaching services and products designed to elevate your trajectory.

References: Hart, Minda, The Memo, 2019, Seal Press; Torrisi-Mokwa, Jan, Building Career Equity, 2011, Self-Published

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Contact me: KMN Coaching & Consulting for Career and Leadership Services- https://www.kmncoachingconsulting.com/

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Chapters

• 0:01 Building Your Personal Board of Directors
• 11:27 Build Personal Board for Career Growth

Transcript

Karyn Nesby: 0:01

Hey everyone, welcome to the Career Perspectives podcast. I'm your host, Karyn Nesby of KMN Coaching and Consulting. I'm here to help you navigate your tech and design career. I will tap into my network and leverage my 20 years of experience in tech and design across multiple industries and bring my coaching and mentoring to you. There goes an alert from your email oh look, your coworker has accepted that role that was posted a few weeks ago that you didn't even apply for. There goes a chime from the group chat, and your coworker mentioned how her senior leader helped to get her on a special project that is going to have tons of visibility. I'm sure you were ready for that opportunity as well.

Karyn Nesby: 0:54

You're starting to think what am I missing? I really wish I had someone to talk to about my career. Now, friend, this is starting to sound more like a DJ Khaled song and another one versus the career you set out to have. Now, if you made your way to career perspectives, it means that you are at a point in your career that you know having the right guidance can make all the difference. You've come to the right place, and in this first episode, I will share my perspective on establishing a personal board of directors. Let's get started. The truth is, accomplished professionals have relied on a personal board of directors to achieve new heights of success. So this episode is for those who need a refresher, or for those who haven't started to put this into practice. I'm going to tell you right now if you're a job seeker, this will be key to your success. By now, you probably realize that going it alone won't cut it when it comes to reaching your career goals. Success in our ever evolving world requires a supportive network of individuals who've got your back.

Karyn Nesby: 2:13

The concept of career board of directors originally was introduced by Jan Torrisi-Mokwa in her book Building Career Equity. It's like the secret sauce to your professional journey. Picture it like a gumbo, each director bringing their unique expertise, and you, my friend, are the hardy roux the foundation upon which greatness is built. I promise I'm not trying to make you hungry out there, but you have to have your act together, know your strengths and define your career goals, because without a solid base, all that wisdom from your board won't be put to good use, and that's like tossing the whole pot away. Or for the football fans like me out there, since we're in the midst of the season, you can't expect your quarterback to throw the ball and catch it too. That's a paraphrase from one of my favorite seasons on hard knocks. So be ready, because when people invest their time and energy into you, that means they're rooting for your success, and that's a gift that's for sure worth embracing. So here are the roles you need to look out for Mentor, sponsor, slash connector, coach slash expert, friend tour Now, the friend tour might be the easier role and you just didn't know you've already filled the position.

Karyn Nesby: 3:29

So, mentor, you admire the person, you watch their career, you want to achieve the things that they've done and more. They're willing to share with you their tips and advice. This is an excellent person to have. A sponsor slash connector Now, this one might be the toughest to solidify, but you can identify this person the toughest only because you must establish consistent quality and results and make it visible to that person. You need to be in proximity to this person and your mentor knows this person because your mentor can vouch for you in order to gain their trust and influence To bring your name up in rooms that you or your mentor aren't in. A coach slash expert this person knows a lot of information and is willing to share and can pull the best out of you or provide you with information to help solidify the direction that you want to go. The friend tour. You're already venting to this person, asking their thoughts, and you really value their advice. This person sees the best in you and vice versa. You both have seen the highs and lows in each other's careers and want to see each other win. If your friend tour received a promotion or a raise, they are going to share advice with you on how to achieve the same goal. They want to see you win.

Karyn Nesby: 4:55

So let's dive deeper into the concept of a personal board of directors and how it can benefit you. Building a personal board of directors is extremely valuable and there are various perspectives on this approach. One insightful perspective on this approach can be found in chapter two of Minda Hart's book the Memo, which just celebrated its four year anniversary of its release this past summer. It's a great addition to your reading list, as she refers to it as building your squad. It's a concept that truly resonates with me and I really hope you check it out. I'll give you my take just from my own experience. I can tell you now that I'll use squad and personal board of directors interchangeably throughout this episode. So, as you think, within the realm of building relationships, it's worth reflecting on building a personal board of directors.

Karyn Nesby: 5:47

Slash squad is more than just a strategy. It's a transformational move towards self empowerment and career elevation. In this dynamic world, where change is the only constant and we know that, especially in the tech space this year it's been crucial to have a diverse network of advisors who bring unique perspectives to the table. These advisors become your champions, guiding you through challenges, amplifying your strengths and helping you navigate the sometimes turbulent waters of professional growth. They provide the wisdom, insight and unwavering support needed to break barriers and reach new heights. Your personal board of directors isn't just a group. They're your trusted allies in the pursuit of excellence and they will help you unlock doors that you never even knew existed. So really embrace the power of this network, cultivate it with intention and watch it propel you towards your most audacious dreams.

Karyn Nesby: 6:49

I can share an example of how one of my squads worked for me. I say one because I have one for my career and one for my coaching business, and you can have as many squads or personal board of directors as you need During 2020 when I started KMN coaching and consulting. I knew exactly how I wanted to show up for my clients and what the service offerings would be, and I knew that resume writing wasn't going to be part of the package, but it's necessary for my clients to be ready to implement what I coached them on, and I wanted them to feel confident with their resumes. I found Tiffany Williams online, who provides a host of services, one of which is resume writing, as she has a business called Pitch HR, and so we started to network during the pandemic and built a great professional relationship and friendship. And so Tiffany is going to be joining me on an upcoming episode to share all of her knowledge and wisdom and talk about her own career journey. And so Tiffany, in turn, introduced me to Amber Fields, the founder of Black UX Labs, which is an amazing organization, and I also plan to have Amber on an episode, and she's going to share the details of what Black UX Labs is doing to help promote more diverse leadership and design. And so Tiffany really served as an excellent connector for me, and that's really what I call the power of building a great squad.

Karyn Nesby: 8:12

Now I'm huge on when you're trying to implement something new, to just really break it down into something manageable, because this isn't supposed to be difficult. But I hope you enjoy your time building and cultivating relationships. So let's start by finding the perfect match for you. I'm sure when you heard the role of mentor is one that probably resonated with you. When it comes to selecting a mentor is not just about picking a random person with a fancy title, so consider these key factors.

Karyn Nesby: 8:46

I'm going to list three. So one consider their expertise and experience. Look for someone who has been there, done that and conquer the challenges that you aspire to conquer. Seek out a mentor whose knowledge aligns with your career goals. Two compatible communication style. Communication is the heartbeat of any successful relationship, so find someone whose communication style clicks with yours, someone you can connect with on a personal and professional level, allowing for open and candid discussions that foster trust and shared understanding of your career aspirations. So don't just go out there and find a yes person and somebody that's just going to say and tell you everything that you want to hear. You have to be comfortable with them, but you also have to have a shared respect for their opinion as well.

Karyn Nesby: 9:39

And then three network and opportunities. A great mentor will not only share wisdom, but also open doors for you. They're not a gatekeeper. So consider someone well connected, as their network can expand your horizons, presenting you with excellent new career opportunities, introducing you to influential industry players and the chance to participate in exclusive events or projects that might otherwise remain beyond your reach. The power of a well connected mentor really lies in their ability to bridge the gaps and create moments that will put you in the rooms you need to be in to reach your next level.

Karyn Nesby: 10:18

And now I'm thinking of like the song from Hamilton all of a sudden, but I promise I'm not going to sing it. So now you understand what a personal board of directors is all about, how to find the perfect match in a mentor and how all of this can be beneficial for your career. So no excuses, everybody, remember the roles that you are looking to feel a mentor, a sponsor, slash connector, a coach, slash expert and a friend tour. You want these directors to advocate for you, offer expert advice, provide unique perspectives, point out your blind spots and hold you accountable for your goals. This is a dedicated community you build for your career, growth and development. While the authors I mentioned explore similar things in their books, it's essential to explore a variety of sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of how this can work for your career. Hey, so I call this career perspectives. Now, always remember knowledge is power and your personal board of directors can be a significant asset on your journey to success.

Karyn Nesby: 11:27

I know that this year is winding down, but I hope you've saved some PTO from the months ahead. It seems 2023 is just flying by, but we still have some time, so think about who you want to add to your personal board of directors, or your squad, or whatever resonates with you. Maybe throw an acronym in there the PBDs or whatever you want to call it. But I hope you enjoy the episode and I look forward to bringing on some guests and sharing more career perspectives with you soon. Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already, so you don't miss an episode. Please leave a review, as I look forward to reading it. If you want to connect on social or searching for my coaching services or products, check my show notes. I've listed all the places you can find me.