Posted 12:06 am Sunday, January 29, 2012
Your Personal Board Of Directors
It's a concept a friend of mine gave me a few years ago. We were having lunch and Ron mentioned something about having a personal board. This is a concept I love. It was something that folded into some patterns I already had amplified and some others which needed more structure.
We have probably all heard the proverb which declares there is wisdom in many counselors. Regardless of your faith model this is sound advice. When making important decisions you need people from a spectrum of experience to help you make good decisions.
In my life this started with family. Not only did the sheer size of the family give me a menu of choices but their breadth of experience made the choices richer. Some were risk-takers, others staunchly conservative. Some dreamed big dreams; others were satisfied with what any given day would bring. Some lived to eat while others ate to live. You get the idea. What a pool to drink from.
You get to make some big decisions in life. Usually one of the first big ones is what kind of car to buy, then perhaps where to attend college or begin a career.
Marriage is a big one for those who choose i. As is buying a house, having and naming children and maybe even deciding what kind of dog will live with the family (if you think that's not a big one you are kidding yourself). Once the journey of life brings you through a few of these you are probably pretty used to consulting with your board.
Sometimes new board members show up at meetings without being elected. It can get as complicated as you allow it to be. Managing factions and proxy battles can be exhausting, but you have to remember, you are the chief executive of your life, act accordingly.
Now, depending on your faith, you may wish to install God as the chairman of the board. You would of course be president of the entity of Yourself, Inc. and appoint various officers of the corporation to advise and serve in specific capacities. You may serve in the capacity of every office.
It has been my privilege to not only work with a number of my family members who also served on my personal board but also to have had the benefit of certain friends who decided to make a commitment to making me the best I could be in spite of my efforts to the contrary from time to time.
Every once-in-a-while, a person, older than you, perhaps by as much as a generation, grants you the privilege of serving on your board. You may also have personal friends who fill certain posts.
It is important to be sure those around you don't agree with everything you say or the feedback you get may be disingenuous.
As the leader of Yourself Inc., it is your right to accept or reject the counsel you receive.
Some of my board members are so blunt their words or observations can cut to the quick but if I am sure their criticisms are rooted in a genuine desire to make me better the salve of their friendship will quickly soothe the wound. Some are right so often it gets a little sickening. But remember, being wrong can be sickening too.
Another proverb to this point is found in Proverbs 27:17. It says "Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another." I bet you just thought of someone who has that effect on you.
Some people just make you better by being around them. When I was a kid there were friends who brought out the best in me and those who brought out the worst. My parents (who chaired my board at the time) kept a keen eye on the ones who brought out the worst and generally steered me toward the others. Some of those better friends still have a significant and meaningful impact in my life.
If you don't have a personal board you should consider whether you should. You may have reached a stage of life where it is more important to serve on the personal boards of others who need your counsel to navigate this crazy adventure we call life. If you end up making others the best they can be it is likely they will have a similar effect on you.
Thanks for your attention, this meeting is adjourned.
