Do you have an independent Board of Directors for your life?
Why none of us should run life alone
Back in ’96, my first semester at B-School started with two D’s. I struggled in Accounting and Quant. Failed miserably. A third ‘D’ in the 1st year meant suspension from the course. Two days later, when I called home, I got to know that my parents got a warning letter from the Director. ‘Another D for your ward, please be ready to take him back.’ It crashed them.
Six of my study group members sat around me that evening. We’d already worked on some 3-4 projects and built a bond. Not much was said. They just decided to own me up. Next few semesters, each of them took up one subject they would check me on. No lectures, no motivating talks. They ensured I stepped up by just being there. They were my first Board. They weren’t my best friends in campus. But when I landed my first job in campus, they were the first ones I thanked.
24 years later, I was in a similar puddle of mess. I had to transition out of my last organisation. The deal looked good - but it was still a transition into the unknown, that was thrust upon me. My walk back to the flat that evening was the slowest. But, Mahesh, my flatmate then, made me see it differently. Even as I struggled to accept the moment, he helped me to own it. We set up calls that evening to all the people who mattered, where I told them exactly what happened and that I am embarking onto a fresh voyage. I sent my first proposal on storytelling training that midnight.
If I’ve been consistently lucky in one aspect of life - it’s been having the best set of people around me always. They weren’t people who said ‘yes’ to me mostly. They were not always nice. Some, stand by me always. Some taught me a valuable lesson by walking off and watching from far - for my own good. Some just played transformational cameos. But, they were always kind. And Fair. Saw me for who I am. They became the scaffolding when I needed it. And moved on when they knew I didn’t need one.
If Uday is an organisation named Uday.inc, these folks are my board of directors.
It just takes a moment to check if you’ve built your set of folks. Pause, right here. Write down the names of 5 people who can take that seat on your board.
You have them? Great. Else, go get them. You may not have to tell them that they are that - but boy, you’ll need them.