I have talked before on this blog about the importance of having a mentor and working with trusted advisers. I have even encouraged getting a coach or investing financially in your development and education. And I am not the only person talking about this. Mentors have become a buzz word and a topic of conversation at networking events (that’s how you know it’s mainstream). You have heard it all before so today let’s zag a little bit; let’s talk unconventional. Your ability to make quantum leaps, to take your family, your business and your life to a higher level of success and fulfillment is dependent on your willingness to look outside the status quote and separate yourself from the ordinary.
You will never find uncommon success focused on common methods. You need to think outside the box to gain different perspectives. You need a Development Council.
A few years ago I was hired by a local nonprofit as the Director of Development. This was a big promotion for me and gave me the opportunity to try new things and face new challenges. It also gave me the opportunity to hold a position of leadership and become a member of the senior management team. This team of upper level managers, including the CEO, meets weekly to discuss strategy, handle personnel issues and ideally catch problems before they grow out of control. This is a pretty conventional group; most companies have a senior management team that gathers periodically to handle these types of issues. And it’s not what I am talking about when it comes to your Development Council.
I am referring to a group of advisors that can give unconventional perspective and ideas to conventional problems. To truly create breakthrough performance you have to think differently, break the norms and, dare I say, be a little crazy. A Development Council will push you to look at your opportunities, and the world, in a way you hadn’t before. That’s the point. So who should be on this distinguished Council?
Your Tribe– Built with a blog, your blog- If you don’t have a personal blog, and if you’re not (at least) semi-active on social media, you really should make the effort. In a later post I will go through all the powerful benefits of doing this. But, for this conversation let’s just briefly say it gives you a platform to gather the perspective of others, a lot of others. On Facebook alone there are over three-quarters of a billion (with a B) people every day checking in. If you want unconventional advice reach out and ask that group how to approach a problem. When you have a blog you have a voice and a platform to state your need. From there you will be able to get advice (good and bad). It is up to you to sort it all out.
Your brother (or sister) – For many years I have held a weekly call with my brother to discuss accountability and goal achievement. While we both focus our careers in very different industries, I continuously draw great ideas from his perspective. He doesn’t see the limitations, real or imagined, that I see and he often poses solutions that I didn’t consider. I love when he gives me a suggestion, I say it will never work, he asks why, I stumble to respond, then go out and try it to success. This also works with my wife who is a great sounding board for problems and a source of insight (and support- thanks babe).
A Competitor – I said we’d need to get a little crazy. In my nonprofit fundraising world it is highly competitive. Donors and companies have a limited charitable dollars and unlimited charitable requests. This is especially true in a big city like the Bay Area. But, I have gotten some great advice from my competitors. Whether they know it or not, every time we have the opportunity to interact I get new insights and perspective. Because we all approach similar problems from differing banks of experience and knowledge we often approach those problems differently. It pays to know how your competition thinks.
A kid – Kids don’t see things as impossibilities only opportunities. Kids don’t focus on what can’t be done but on how it can be done and how quickly we can begin. When you see limitations they see creative solutions. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all think more like kids? The possibilities would be endless. Have you ever watched a kid take apart a machine just to see how it works? They love to take a question, no matter how complex, and break it down, figure it out. Run your ideas past a kid and see where his imagination can take you.
To reach a higher level of success you need to think unconventionally, you need to be different and you need to see things those around you miss or dismiss. Put together your Development Council and create opportunities for growth, learning and experimentation. Be a bit crazy and find unconventional success – Zag when everyone else zigs.