Joel Garfinkle’s response to, “If I started over, knowing what I know today,” took a surprising turn. He said, I would …
“Realize I can’t do it alone.”
I expected Joel to explain a group of personal advisers and mentors. After all, many of us act independently far too long.
Instead, Joel described an advisory group consisting of peers who gather to, “build community and share knowledge.”
Community:
“I’d create or join an advisory group of thought leaders. As peers we would come together to:
- Share best practices.
- Help meet challenges.
- Be there for one another.
Qualities:
Joel went on to say that key success factors for members of his thought leader group include:
- Trust.
- Confidentiality.
- Generosity.
- Transparency.
Secondly, If I started over, knowing what I know today, I would …
“Leverage the raving advocates.”
Joel Garfinkle
Who:
Raving advocates are people who have been most impacted by my work (clients, readers, seminar audiences and business leaders).
Slow:
Joel continued, “I was slow to recognize their appreciation of my work. I would never ask them to share my work with others.”
But now:
Today, I ask them to make connections to opportunities that I would never have been exposed to in the past. As advocates, they value and believe in what I do. By asking them to share my work with others, I’m making them feel valued and providing them with a greater opportunity to make a difference.
Joel on Leadership Freak:
May Boss is an Insecure Jerk – Do Over
How Leaders Shoot Themselves in the Foot
How to Brag without being a Braggart
Joel’s book: "Getting Ahead" (Highly Recommended)
How might you ask people most impacted by your work to connect you with opportunity? (Colleagues, clients, vendors)
How would you invite a group of peer-advisors to begin gathering to build community and share knowledge?
