The Importance and Impact of Having your Own Personal Board of Directors

Many women I meet worry about having to network – believing that men are better at it than women. They feel they are disadvantaged and missing out because of this.

The trick to networking is not going to lots  of meetings, but identifying the key network of allies who have your back. These are trusted advisors who understand your contribution to the world of work. Some of them will be people of influence that you can consult, share concerns with and whom you can depend on to be your champions. They can put you in touch with the right people and put you forward when they hear about the right opportunities. You also want your virtual board to have a network of experts and a network of introducers.

You will come to realise that you don’t have to be alone and you don’t have to do it all yourself as many women in our surveys seemed to believe to be true. Through your virtual board, you will find the resources, encouragement and support to move beyond these constraints to “I am ready now” and go for what really matters to you. Never forget how much people love contributing to each other.

The people on your Virtual Board are people who understand you and what you have to offer. They support you in understanding the ‘invisible rules’ you will find at work. You will learn to appreciate that invisible rules are not intentional – they have just been in your blind spot until now. This will enable you to own learning the rules from them rather than being at the impact of not knowing what they are.  Your virtual board exists to fill the sponsorship, network and skills gaps that you need to fill in order to fulfill on your purpose.

Interested in learning how and who to select for your board? Join me over in the AuthenticYou community. This month, the creation and effective use of a virtual board is the focus of our strategy and tools call, accountability sessions and group coaching. Register today, so that you can be LIVE with us on October 7th and put your Virtual Board to work for you.

Author: Ishreen Bradley is a Chief Inspiration Officer