Do You Have A Personal Board of Directors?

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General Garrison, former commander of Delta Force, would come in with cowboy boots and a cigar that looked like he chewed on and maybe even ate sometimes. Al Alm, the former deputy administrator of the EPA, would pull up a seat and fire up his pipe. And General Downing, the former commander of SOCOM, would roll in sporting a well-pressed suit and tie. Like clockwork, each of them would come to my office individually and meet with me monthly.

One might assume that I held a C-suite position to command such an audience on a regular basis, but the truth is I was a group manager who oversaw the environmental and health sciences business area for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). These guys weren’t showing up to get help from me; they were showing up to make sure my group’s work didn’t cause problems for the company—problems that would then screw up my career.

Many of my colleagues at SAIC hated having power players like these pull up next to them, ask a bunch of uncomfortable questions and overtly spy on them. I, too, was initially hesitant to be open with them, but over time I realized that they were not there to catch me screwing up but to ensure I didn’t. Dr. Beyster, the CEO at SAIC, had provided us with a safety net. He had created what would become my own personal board of directors.

Business, like life, is a team sport. In a hyper-dynamic and competitive world, one cannot survive without an array of partners to help you succeed. You need to get good at getting good help, and having your own board of directors can assist you with advice, connections, risk, and wisdom.

I was lucky enough to have been given a personal board of directors, but I have since learned how to create one. And you can too with the following steps:

  • Needs Assessment. Ask yourself: what results are you trying to receive from this group? Are you looking for advice? A group to bounce ideas off? Better processes and procedures?

  • Gap Analysis. Where do you need help? Technical assistance, managerial advice, client or political connections? For example, I mostly needed technical help since I oversaw a group of toxicologists. At other times, I needed advice and assistance in getting meetings with Congressional staff involving our work.

  • Identifying Individuals. Once your needs are determined, it’s time to find and ask individuals to be on your board. You can articulate to potential members what you are looking for and how they can contribute to your efforts. Also, be able to discuss what might be in it for them in terms of their time. This could include insight into your business, added purpose to their lives, a way of giving back, or legacy.


Step #3 may be your biggest challenge, but keep in mind that you may have a board and not recognize it. Start with looking where you work. Are there some senior staff you can talk to? (Be careful not to cross boundaries or cause issues for you or your supervisors.) Contact recently retired people, who may have the time, insight, and wisdom to offer great assistance. Also, if you see an article that intrigues you, try and contact the author, explaining what you’re looking for. Maybe, in return, you have knowledge that may help that person in his or her endeavors.

As you identify individuals, you can begin to set up meetings. Discuss the time, schedule, and place of the meetings. I recommend meeting with your board members individually. This allows for better focus. Buying them lunch is a way to make it worth their while and show gratitude.

Once I had completed the above, I drafted a statement of work (SOW) with help from the group. This helped me focus on what my goals were, including:

  • What

  • Why

  • By when

  • How

  • Measurable objectives

I also developed an agenda, or points of discussion, for each meeting. The agenda should help inform the board of your situation and what you are doing. It must be results-oriented, identifying what, who, and when.

Results may include:

  • Risk management

  • Situational awareness

  • Operating with intel that you would otherwise not have

  • How to move faster and further

  • How to make fewer mistakes

  • How to recover from mistakes when you make them

Having this kind of team around you will make you more confident, secure, and informed, but, remember, the most important member of this team is “your fifth man.” You. Merging what they know with what you know is a winning combination that produces the elements required for solid and informed management and leadership.

Pat