Who makes it into your Personal Boardroom?

Everyone likes a good read. It’s even more gratifying if the good read can feed into your career and personal life. I recently read a book that I really enjoyed that is actually about a subject very close to home. The book was titled Who is In Your Personal Boardroom?. It was co-written by Zella King and Amanda Scott. It was recommended to me by a client and is well worth going through, to formally identify those people who can make a difference to you in different segments of your life.

Choosing people, assigning roles and having conversations with purpose

The book’s full title is Who is in your Personal Boardroom?: How to choose people, assign roles and have conversations with purpose. It’s objective is to provide ‘A practical way to build the network you need to succeed.’ As the blurb states: “You’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with. But when did you last think about who exactly that is, and whether you’ve got the right people around you? How do you know how to select, from your network, the right combination of people to help you be truly effective as a leader and in your career? Drawing on their work with executives and on academic research on the networks of high performers, Zella King and Amanda Scott show how to home in on the six to 12 relationships that drive and sustain success.”

Finding your touchstones

I found it to be a great read and it made me think too. The people the authors identify from different points in your life can be those that inspire you, give you courage, or are experts who share their knowledge. They can also be ‘connectors’ who help you make connections. I have used it to identify businesspeople in my life that add value. I have found I have a few ex-clients who fall into some of these categories – they know who they are. The criteria can be extended to your personal life too. Where do you find your energy and touchstones when you need them? The people you rely on, the people you can simply chat to, or share problems with.

You need that level of support throughout your life. Good, supportive friends are not always easily found. Personally, when I have a quandary, I have a family member who I also talk through sensitive issues with. This helps make sure I create a ‘win-win’ situation, or at least not offend anybody. I found the book to be a real gem and would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in creating their own Personal Boardroom. It’s made me look at my networks and relationships from a completely different perspective.