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tiffany-smWe’d like to welcome guest blogger Tiffany Funk, Humanergy’s Marketing and Materials Specialist.

Having a mentor used to be a golden ticket for a successful career. Now, it’s considered outdated as Priscilla Claman explains in the article, Forget Mentors: Employ a Personal Board of Directors.

No, you don’t actually have to pay people to sit on your board, nor do you need to explain that they’ve been chosen for it. It’s simply a strategic way to map out your go-to team of associates and bosses, or even friends and family members, according to their specific skill sets.

Who do you go to for guidance on writing a strong proposal? Or for questions about the Lean Six Sigma methodology to better manage a project? Who’s the software guru in your industry that always keeps you up-to-date? Probably not the same person for all of those areas.

Your board should be made up of individuals you’ve learned from in the past with diverse areas of expertise. There is great value in having a small group of trusted advisors to provide support. One pitfall to avoid is only conferring with like-minded folks who won’t challenge you to consider differing perspectives, or further your growth in leadership.

The most important factor is to keep in touch, so mark your calendar and schedule regular check-ins with your board. By not putting all your eggs in one basket with a single mentor, you’ll expand your network and opportunities for development.

Do you have a personal board of directors? Tell us about them below or send us message.

 

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