Who’s Got Your Back?

blogHave you ever heard the quote, “you’re only as good as the company you keep?”  I’ve always put a lot of thought and consideration into who I surround myself with for this very reason.  I was chatting about this with a good friend of mine who has been helping set up important relationships with various hospitals for The Patty Brisben Foundation, and he shared some valuable insight on this topic. He told me his life changed after attending a seminar where he learned an important lesson: You should have a council that holds you accountable.  A perfect example of this is the Board of Directors that provide checks and balances for companies and non-profit organizations, helping them to stay the course and always strive to be bigger and better  in the future.

For example, if you are a Pure Romance Consultant, and you are having an issue with someone in your downline, would you discuss this with just anyone? More than likely, you would approach someone you look up to on your team for direction.

You may be sitting there thinking, “I’m not a CEO so this doesn’t apply to me,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The idea of creating an honest council holds true on a personal level, too.  Ask yourself, who in your life is holding you accountable? Are you going back and repeating the same offenses over and over again, never going anywhere?  Are you the judge, jury and defendant in the case files of your life?

It’s so important to find people who can council you through life’s ups and downs. Take great care in who you select; these should not be “Yes-people,” but rather those who are not afraid to tell you sometimes what you just don’t want to hear.  They should be people who you trust to be straightforward and forthright, as well as reliable, available contacts when you find yourself in a precarious situation.

Often times we are just throwing questions out there until we get the answer we want to hear.  Those who will tell you the truth and give you sincere direction when you stumble will be the ones who help you evolve as a person in the long run. You will never be the expert on everything which is why a council is absolutely necessary.

Once you have this group of people in place, be the same advisor to someone else. Sometimes it’s easier just to say, “Yeah, that looks great” when it doesn’t, “Just stay with him” when she’s miserable, or “Why look for another job?” when you know someone is unhappy with their work. However, a good advisor opts for the true response, not the easiest one. Honesty, loyalty and sensitivity all play an integral part – as does keeping one’s secrets, just like the confidentiality of information shared with company Board members. Realize this is a prestigious role and when you decide to take on this position for someone you are dedicating yourself to helping them grow.  I’m a big believer that what you give you get in return and it won’t be long before you have found the kind of council you deserve.

You Might Also Like

One Comment

  1. Brandi

    I love it!! I just read a book that said this very thing…to have a board of directors of your life so that when there are tough issues going on in your life you have people that will be honest with you and try to help promote you not just tell you what they think you want to hear. I love it and have several people in mind for my “BOD”!!!

Leave a Reply