Who's your sounding board?

George Bush has apparently denied in an interview that he phones his father for policy advice.  No comment!

But it did get me thinking about where I go to get my advice.  And it's made me realise what a fantastic support network I have, and how much they help me keep learning, reflecting, making new connections and generally staying sane.  In fact it's a good job I've not had a couple of glasses of wine, or I would right this minute be working my way through my phone/e-mail list and telling them all I love them!!

For one, there's my coaching and training supervisor. I have a monthly call with her to reflect on the coaching and training work I've done in the past month, think about what's worked well, talk through situations I've found a bit tough, and have someone reflect back what she's hearing, challenge me on some points and help me draw out learning points.

I also have a coach.  I don't work with one permanently - just for set periods of time when I'm serious about making changes - whether it's heading off in a new direction, setting some new goals, or working out what the heck I'm doing with my life! So that's a regular call that helps me set a course and stick to it.

And then I have a great network of friends, clients, colleagues and acquaintances that I can call on for any number of scenarios. Liam is my general sounding board and puts up with my moans, doubting Thomas moments and indecisive bouts - lucky bloke, huh?!  And then there's always someone I can call up to ask about the latest research or theory on a specific subject, what's happening in a certain industry, what their experience has been in a certain area ... you name it.

I find it helpful to have a network that extends outside internal comms.  So far it reaches to HR, writing/journalism, training, coaching, any of the corporate comms areas, project management, IT, marketing and finance (this last one because I'm so thick with figures that I've ended up making good friends with the long-suffering souls in finance in my in-house roles that have had to explain figures to me "REALLY simply" several times over!)

As a classic introvert, I've not built my network from standing in rooms full of people I don't know with a glass of wine in my hand.  That's my idea of a nightmare, and I remember having a conversation with my first ever coach about it. "That's not what networking has to be about," she said. "Networking is just about building relationships with people you like."

And she's been right. Since then, I've just made the effort to keep in touch with people whose company I've enjoyed, whose ideas I've found interesting, whose thoughts I've respected, whose training courses have made a difference to me - who, for whatever reason, I've made a connection with. It does take effort - it's all too easy to lose touch with people. But for me, it's well and truly worth it.

Who's your sounding board? And how's your support network?

Sue

Comments

[Timm]

My support network falls into two categories: People that often are in a similar situations than I am, and people that can help me get a different perspective. The first group are my close friends, which are my age, the other group consists of people almost double my age (and they tend to work in communications, don't ask me why).

This reminds me what social psychology says about the various form of social support: There are people that help you, people that help you help yourself, and people that are just there for you.

[Tony]

The fact 'Dubya' did not deny asking God for advice speaks volumes! Granted he was not asked, but I will not let such a trivial point get in the way of a possible line The Guardian might pick up on.

Meanwhile back here on Earth... my advice network is centered on my two mentors. It might seem odd to some people who do not even have one mentor that I would seek to have two, but it makes sense for me.

One of my mentors is an Executive in a non-Communications role who can provide me with advice about the business and dealing with interpersonal challenges that sometimes arise in a big organisation. My second mentor is a Director in the wider communications function who can steer me in practical career terms and offer technical advice.

I cannot speak highly enough of mentoring. If you work in an organisation with a large headcount then engaging a mentor at a high level to act as a counsellor and sanity checkpoint can be really beneficial.

As a minimum I look for someone at least three promotions higher up the food chain, in a position that requires them to be successful in political manoeuvering and understanding the big picture. The relationship can be as simple as picking up the phone and downloading on them and asking their opinion. Or it can be as structured as meetings with hard copy evaluations and expectation setting.

I have found that if you pick your mentor(s) carefully you can get all the advice you need in a reliable and confidential manner.

[Liam]

Do you think God ever has days when he pretends he's not in just in case Dubya calls up for some advice? We've all done it...

Liam

[Tony]

Ah so that's why you didn't answer when I tried to ring...

Have a great Christmas in NZ Liam - send my best to all my old mates at Massey University in Palmerston North and my drinking buddies at Marist RFC.

Enjoy the rest.

Tony