Everybody Needs Their Own Personal Board of Directors…Including Young People
7 Steps to Co-Creating a PBOD
“When it comes to helping young people succeed, education experts and nonprofits are embracing the idea that a broad web of formal and informal mentors is key.” Alyza Sebinous, The Atlantic
This statement makes intuitive sense. And the research agrees.
Mentorship in middle and high school, when carefully planned and long term, has been found to lead to higher grade-point averages, greater college or post-secondary training programs attendance and improved social and family relations. A 2006 report found that this extends to later in life, “Mentored individuals earn higher performance evaluations, salaries, and faster career progress than non-mentored individuals.”
So I was so glad to be asked recently by a lovely young person recently how and who one might choose as a mentor. Taking initiative! Planning for the future!
But I paused before answering.
How does a young person go about this? Is it organic or a planned process? How do we address access, equity and connection? Without some intentionality, as article in the Hechinger Report suggests that young people could, “wander aimlessly in a professional wilderness.”
The Big Idea
What is clear: no one succeeds on their own. And another important fact: no one person can serve to mentor for all needs.
The idea: Make a goal to co-create a personal board of directors (PBOD).
The concept is similar to a board of directors that guides a company, with some key differences. In a personal board of directors, the members:
won't meet regularly,
don’t work collectively,
don’t need to be people you know personally,
might not know even know your board exists.
The reality is, at any given time in our lives, we need a crew of mentors. And these can be created with some planning and through intentional connection.
Making Big Ideas Usable
To manifest this board, we present an activity all can try- no matter your age, stage or needs. This is Mentor Mapping.
The Seven Steps to Mentor Mapping
Step 1: Create the vision. Envision what you want life to look like five years down the road. What do you want to do? How do you want to feel?
Step 2: Where are you now? Create a list of the different types of support you will need to get from where you are now to where you want to be. Some ideas:
Emotional support
Guidance
Companionship
Practical support
Step 3: Take inventory. Next, consider who currently fills those roles in your life. Who do you go to for emotional support? Where do you practice your pitches? Write down as many names as you can think of.
Step 4: Identify opportunities. Try to identify where you have opportunities. Are there types of support that you need but don’t currently have?
Step 5: Map it. Begin to add details to map your plan. That is, who/where/how might you like to have others on your Board. Are you missing an engineer? Someone good at finance? Think expansively, and use the following guidance:
Strive for diversity in background, education, geography, field, and sector. Think about the idea of the wisdom of crowds. More here.
Having Black women leaders as mentors is such a gift. The knowledge, encouragement and real talk they provide is so essential as we navigate our journeys. I’m so lucky for the amazing Black women I have within my personal board of directors. 🙏🏽Treat your board as a living entity. Ever changing, not static.
Bring people who work in organizations and roles that are aspirational.
Include mentors at various stages and ages.
Step 6: Reach out. Work with others to get in touch with mentor possibilities. Ask teachers, friends, guests speakers, contacts at organizations.
So what do you do? Be intentional. Ask around. “Do you know anyone who is good at xyz? Do you know someone who could help me learn to abc?”
When you connect, *you don’t have to ask them to be your mentor.* Ask simply to connect. For 30 minutes. During the convo, ask 2-3 questions of interest about the *things* that they do well that you are curious about.
Follow up. Set a schedule for check ins.
Step 7: Keep your map with you. Transfer your map of your PBOD to an index card and keep it with you. There should be openings, questions and places for revision. Review it often, add to it, revise it, update it. Remind yourself of your people and of the opportunity to grow your social capital. Make it a goal to build this crew.
And an extra piece of advice: Be bi-directional. At its best, mentorship is bi-directional. While you will connect with a wide range of caring partners, you have something to offer as well. Remember that, and share your knowledge, skills and ideas.
What do you think? What’s missing? What stories come up for you?
I’d like to hear from you, and what kinds of mentor relationships you have. How did you begin those relationships? What have you learned from them?
Critical Connections
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Would you like to read more? Another Big Idea and how to Make It Usable is here.