I was part of a panel when someone brought this up. And then I saw it on one of my favorite blogs – Sallie Krawcheck’s article about having a personal board of directors.  I like the idea of a personal board of directors, because it gives you a way of thinking about how different people in your life play a role in your decision making.  So who would make a great personal board of director? Here’s what I think:

1. Someone who’s worked with you long enough to have a history with you. They’ve seen you during success, failure, transitions. They know when you flourish. They know what you struggle with.  They have seen  you in the work habitat.  It can be an old boss, an ex-colleague.

2. Someone who knows you better than anyone else. This is the person who just gets you. They know what you’ll order on the menu. They know what you’d like to read, watch, or do. They always get you the best present. They aren’t objective: they will always take your side and back you up. Sometimes you need the cheerleader to convince you to take a risk.

3. Someone who can be objective about you. This is the person who doesn’t think you can do everything. They’re the ones who will remind you of how miserable you were when you were doing x, when you consider doing x again because the money is enticing. They’re the ones who tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.

Who would you have as your personal board of directors?