The Alternative Board
Bill Warner Friday, April 23, 2010
I recently had the opportunity to sit in on a meeting of The Alternative Board (TAB) in Research Triangle Park. We have all been to all sorts of networking meeting and events as well as executive round-tables. All of them are "nice to meet you" and "want to get to know you" kind of encounters. But, TAB is different.
TAB is not a "soft drink"
TAB groups are invitation-only organizations of peer business owners who want to have a serious conversation about how to grow their businesses. Business owners and executives are led by an experienced facilitator who has extensive experience in executive coaching. During a half-day meeting every month, the group of peer business executives conducts well structured discussions about specific business issues that each of them have.
OK, that's the easy part. These discussions have a serious intent. The peers act as they would if they were the board of directors of the company who has an issue under discussion. The business owner is given time to explain their business issue and its significance to the company. The peers then ask questions for further clarification, without making judgments. Once the issue is clarified, the board then gives advice. Quite frankly, the business owner needs to fasten their seat belt, because this part of the agenda is characterized by highly focused straight talk without any sugar coating.
The business owners get some very valuable and unfiltered feedback that they will often not likely hear even in their own management and board meetings. The reason is that none of the peers are wrapped into the business owner's strategy or their company politics, giving them the opportunity of being brutally honest.
Accountability and trust is at the heart of it all
What makes this work is that the members of the TAB group have built a high level of trust with each other and as a result command a high level of accountability. After the business owners get feedback on their issues, the business owners are required to summarize what they heard and say what they are going to do next.
This is where the accountability appears. The business owner has committed a course of action and will have to report results to the TAB group at the next meeting. Of course, all of these discussions are kept confidential.
But, there's homework
Business owners also receive monthly private executive coaching services from their board facilitator using TAB’s small business consulting tools. These skilled business consultants help solve particularly sensitive issues and teach management and leadership techniques that can be immediately put into practice. Each facilitator/coach has extensive top-level business management experience to further enhance the executive coaching sessions.
Take a look for yourself
Being the owner of a business or a top executive is a lonely job sometimes. It is often good to get out of the office and be able to talk with some people who are truly interested in helping you and can be relied upon to give you good advice.
Go to the TAB website to learn more. If you are in the Research Triangle Park area, contact Keith Weaver (keith@smart-state.com) or Jack Ford (jack.ford@balfoursales.com) to learn more.
Filed Under: Business Operations, Business Strategy and Planning, Business Coaching & Leadership Skills
Bill Warner is the Managing Partner of Paladin and Associates, a business consulting firm in the Research Triangle Park area of central North Carolina, and is the Chairman of the Triangle Accredited Capital Forum, an angel investor network with over one hundred members throughout the southeast.
Bill Warner is the Managing Partner of Paladin and Associates, a business consulting firm in the Research Triangle Park area of central North Carolina, and is the Chairman of the Triangle Accredited Capital Forum, an angel investor network with over one hundred members throughout the southeast.
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