Who's on YOUR Board of Directors?

I'm not talking about your business board of directors here...I'm talking about your personal board of directors.  Not that anyone could ever "direct" me someone like me, but my personal board of directors are the people I know I can always count on to be authentic, tactful, and positive even when they're delivering not so positive news.  They are usually people whose lifestyles and values I can align with.  Generally they're even-keeled folks who hate yelling and fighting and love good food and wine as much as I do. 

I had a great opportunity to identify my board of directors yesterday.  Holy cow, there are quite a few high quality well-respected movers and shakers on my board.  I was blown away.  Wow! 

My board of directors members never try to cajole me out of a bad mood.  They never put me down or embarrass me in front of other people.  They understand and respect my need for solitude.  They're more often than not people who live healthy, organic lifestyles, but can laugh with me when I embark on a Twinkie or Hershey Kiss bender...without judgment.  They are people who understand and appreciate the connection between body and mind and often seek alternative health care providers, not because it's cool and trendy, but because they truly believe they can heal themselves by treating problems as a whole rather than random symptoms.  They often have goofy senses of humor and are more likely to make fun of themselves than make fun of another person.  They're not afraid to throw the occasional F word into conversations.  They are generally very creative sorts, though I do have a few data-driven analytical folks on my board and I need them because I am so lousy at the stuff they're good at.  They live lives based on what they do want rather than spending a lot of time worrying about what's not working or what feels bad.  They feel fear, as we all do, but do not live fear-based lives.  This makes them courageous in my eyes.  They embrace pain as a normal part of human existance and always try to find the gem in whatever pain they're feeling.  And last but perhaps most importantly, when they feel they need to deliver news to me that may not be pleasant for me to hear, they always do it with grace and tact in a way that honors both of us and allows for differences of opinion without having to make either party wrong. 

I do all of the things mentioned above for the boards of directors I serve on as well. 

I think I communicated with about 10 different members of my board yesterday.  You know who you are.  It gave me chills that lasted through the night (or was that the sub-zero, blizzard conditions in VT?  No, I think it was the warm kind of chills.)

Who's on your personal board of directors?  Have you included the best possible mix of people who will gently, consistently, and compassionately challenge you to become what you were put on this earth for?    Do you even know what you were put on this earth for?  Have you picked people who know what your core values are without you even telling them?  Have you picked people for whom you can provide the same support you're looking for (you gotta give it to get it)? 

I have.  I am a lucky woman.  Thanks to my BOD for caring about me!  (that's board of directors, though my "bod" is not so bad either...)

Ann,

Shortbread CEO and amateur philosopher

 

Comments

[Dina at Wordfeeder.com]

I must have missed this post the first time around. But the order in which I read today's blog posts seems to fit the course of the day's events. So I'm glad that's how this played out.

This is powerful indeed.

And prophetic.

:)

[Sarah]

Your shortbread is as warm and loving as the hands that created it; the many people you touch with your words and your soothing shortbread will bring you more abundance than you can possibly imagine right now. I'm glad you have a great B.O.D...we all need a B.O.D. to lean on once in awhile...

" Whatever you can do, or dream you can, BEGIN IT... BOLDNESS has genius, power and magic in it." Goethe

[Alex]

Ann-

This was a great post. I've ALWAYS relied heavily on my friends, but I've never thought of them in the context of a Board of Directors before!

It's very true. Looking at my life as “Me, Inc.” gives me a feeling that, rather than being all alone, borrowing advice and encouragement from my friends; I am more of a "team effort". I reciprocate, of course, by volunteering to sit on the boards of others.

Thanks for a fresh, encouraging spin!

-Alex