Organizations and associations have their boards of directors. Governments have their cabinet members. Churches have their councils. They all know that “none of us is as smart as all of us.” They look to expand their effectiveness by creating a team of trusted advisors to counsel, share, coach and educate.
The same should be true for our lives. Who is your personal team of advisors – those friends, family members, colleagues or associates that you go to with your comments, ideas, challenges and successes? Who do you check in with for guidance and support?
Life is tough. And though I believe we are each hardwired for greatness, accessing our greatness sometimes requires help and wisdom from others. When we use this collective wisdom, we invent greater possibilities and opportunities; we can better sort through, discuss and decide.
Here are several situations that would benefit from your personal team of advisors:
1. You have received an unsolicited job offer from another company.
2. You have an idea for a business, book, event, etc., and wonder how it might be received.
3. You are dealing with the loss of a loved one, a broken heart, a lost job or other traumatic personal event.
4. You are deciding whether to buy a house, car, condo, or other large purchase.
5. You are challenged by something critical you heard in church, in your political party, in an association you belong to.
Who do you turn to? Whose opinions do you trust? Who is on your “personal team of advisors?”
Consider the following as a way to select your team of advisors:
1. Do I trust their decision-making process?
2. Do I value their expertise?
3. Do I know, understand and value their beliefs?
4. Do I feel connected to them as people?
5. Can I share something important, have it be kept in confidence and be fairly discussed?
Though life can be tough, we have the gift of others to help navigate the challenges that come with life. We must first know ourselves to be strong and confident on our own. Then, connect with several people who make up our team of life advisors, those who we can always turn to in order to sort things out, share a success or deal with a failure. None of us is as smart (or confident, or sane, or engaged) as all of us. Develop your “go to” team – your personal team of advisors.
Please forward this to someone who can benefit from it, and watch for my new book, The Greatness Zone – Know Yourself, Find Your Fit, Transform the World, due out in September.
