COLUMN - What's Next?
everyone needs an advisory council.
This council might be formal or informal and you might choose to meet as a group or individually. However, you do need to know who is on your team, for these will be the people you can turn to with your toughest challenges and who will be able to assist you with their own wisdom and learning.
It also links back to Verne Harnish, author of the new book Scaling Up, a how-to guide for mid-sized companies that want to grow fast. He posed the ultimate question: in business, it is not a matter of ‘how’, but rather a matter of ‘who’. Who has done this before? Who might be able to shed valuable insight? Who could you reach out to with prior experience in solving similar problems?
Take out a sheet of paper and list the names of people who you believe should be on your personal advisory council, whether it is for your business or career. How can you engage with these individuals?
If you feel that your list is not long enough, think
of the potential associations or groups that you could join, which would give you access to the right type of network.
One thing is for sure, these advisors won’t just walk into your life. It is up to you to make a conscious effort to surround yourself with the right kind of people and to be open to constructive criticism, even when you might not necessarily want to hear it. Who’s on your advisory council and how might they help accelerate your growth and learning?
To build strong ties with some of the most successful training companies in the world I know that I, for one, will be heading back to the ISA Annual Retreat in March next year!
Hazel Jackson is CEO of Biz-Group, a leading training and development company based in Dubai. Hazel’s primary role is to scour the globe for the latest training and talent development tools, resources and systems to figure out what is needed in the Middle East. Her nickname in the company and native genius is “What’s Next?”