The Allen Family Chronicles: Building Your Own Personal Advisory Council

Amplify’d from bgallen.com

Here at our ministry we have a group of about 15 highly gifted professionals in ministry, business, law and medicine that form an Advisory Council for our ministry. The Council has no formal authority, but are simply people who have an interest in our ministry and our willing to share their expertise and wisdom with us as needed. They have benefitted the ministry greatly.

The Executive Director of our ministry began to encourage all of our senior leaders to develop their own Advisory Council. I took him seriously and now have four people from various professions that speak into my life on at least a monthly basis. One in particular – a successful small businessman – is coaching me in my coaching & consulting business and has been a great help.

We all need the help and wisdom of others – particular wise, godly people. Proverbs is full of verses pointing us in that direction.

There is a new article on the Harvard Business Review site that talks about Personal Networking, but is really addressing, in a way, this concept of a personal Advisory Council. Following are come comments from the post:

Meanwhile, the most satisfied executives have ties to

1. people who provide personal support, such as colleagues who help them get back on track when they’re having a bad day or friends with whom they can just be themselves;

2. people who add a sense of purpose or worth, such as bosses and customers who validate their work, and family members and other stakeholders who show them work has a broader meaning; and

3. people who promote their work/life balance, holding them accountable for activities that improve their physical health (such as sports), mental engagement (such as hobbies or educational classes), or spiritual well-being (music, religion, art, or volunteer work).

Four Steps to Building a Network

Analyze

Identify the people in your network and what you get out of interacting with them

De-layer

Make some hard decisions to back away from redundant and energy-sapping relationships

Diversify

Build your network out with the right kind of people: energizers who will help you achieve your goals

Capitalize

Make sure you’re using your contacts as effectively as you can

The key is – to really grow in all areas of your life – you need the counsel of others – the right others. And you have to be intentional and seek them out.

Have a great weekend celebrating the gift from God that is the birth of this nation. And please for a spiritual awakening in this great country – all for the glory of God.