Some of the best advice I ever took action on was to form a board of advisors for my corporation. Beyond the legalities that a corporate board is obligated to fulfill, my board is made up of people who are there to make sure I don’t get out of balance, both in the business and in my personal life. You could call them peer mentors.

 Chip Ingram runs a huge international not-for-profit ministry in Atlanta, Georgia. He describes his inner circle of advisors as his personal Mount Rushmore. Whenever there is a decision to be made, when he is going through a particularly hard time, or when times are good, he turns to the faces he has carved into the side of his own proverbial mountain. He states that he looks for three distinct kinds of persons for his advisors. First, there is his "Paul.” This is a person who is a mentor to you. He or she is a person full of wisdom who has already accomplished what you are trying to achieve. That achievement may not be prestigious in other’s eyes, but is in yours. For instance, Ingram describes one of his "Pauls” as an engineer that had a great deal of integrity. He knew how to confront people in a way that made a point, but did not alienate the person. Ingram learned how to handle a large staff from spending time with him. A "Paul” should serve as a role model to you and to others around you. The second person is his "Timothy.” This person is someone who is up and coming, typically younger than you by one generation. In seeking out a Timothy, you are looking to add perspective and not become detached from the enthusiasm of youth. He or she is also someone you can invest your time in, to teach what you have learned. Ingram stresses that it is important that all of us are passing on something to the next generation. Finally, Ingram describes his "Barnabas.” This person is an encourager. He or she is someone to whom you can tell your deepest secrets to and they will not run away, nor will your Barnabas go tell anyone everything that you have shared. He or she is a loyal supporter through thick and thin. If a crisis happens at 3:00 a.m., that person doesn’t mind if you call.

 This model is catching on. Spurred by the number of highly successful CEOs who have thrown away careers by doing something foolish, the idea of an inner circle of accountability partners is finding traction in the highest corner offices in business. Scott Livingston, president of LCG, a management consulting group, claims that wisdom is the new model for business in the 21^st century. He says that a "cord of three” advisors has merit in keeping leaders in check. This is not just about business. This is the area where personal life grays over what a person is doing on the job. Three people meet with the leader on a regular basis to ask probing questions. Are you doing things on the up and up? Is there anything you did this week for which you would be ashamed if your spouse and kids found out? Are you making decisions out of selfishness or for the good of others? The problem, claims Livingston, is when leaders begin to have a God complex. They begin to believe they are omnipotent – with the ability to do anything they want without asking permission of anyone. The rules don’t apply to them anymore. This sort of thinking has brought down leaders across the spectrum – from business tycoons to religious leaders to heads of state.

Do you have a personal Mount Rushmore? If not, I would encourage you to find people who can be the Paul, Timothy and Barnabas in your life. Set up regular times to meet. Come up with an agenda that gets past the small talk and delves into what troubles your soul. This is more than mere counseling. I have found that it adverts wrong decisions as well as acting out of impulse and helps you think through your actions before they happen.

Good to Great in God’s Eyes by Chip Ingram, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI

www.scottlivingstonspeaks.com

Photo by Jonathan Larsen