Allison Wyatt: Building Your Personal Board

Running a nonprofit can be lonely, and your board of directors may never think about your growth as a leader. In this episode, Allison Wyatt explains how to build a personal "circle of champions," so you always have someone to call when things get hard.   **Key Takeaways:** - Your board of directors supports the organization, not you. Your growth as a leader is up to you. - Each seat on a personal board fills a different gap. A sponsor opens doors, a coach keeps you accountable, a mentor saves you from trial and error, and a feedback giver tells you the truth (source). - Good leaders go first. When you model growth and talk openly about your mistakes, it's safer for your team to try new things. - Feedback should work like a pitching coach: small corrections as you go, not a surprise at the end of the season (source). - Fill the seats before you need them. Being clear about who you call for what means no one friend gets asked for everything.   ***“You need somebody you can trust who's willing to be really honest with you and not just affirm you.”***   ***“That's the thing we see in a lot of organizations is that people are really scared to try new things because failure is not safe.”***   ***“We are going to make some mistakes. We are going to learn things. We are going to use that data to do better the next time.”***  **- Allison Wyatt**   Allison Wyatt is the Founder and CEO of Edgility Talent Partners, where she leads the delivery of equity-focused talent management, executive coaching, and compensation strategy for nonprofit and social sector organizations. A former Vice President of Human Capital Consulting Services at Koya Leadership Partners and Vice President of Human Assets at Education Pioneers, she brings deep expertise in building scalable HR practices, performance management, and pay equity frameworks. Allison holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a BA in East Asian Studies from Wesleyan University.   **Reach out to Allison Wyatt at:** Website: https://www.edgilitytalent.com/team/allison-wyatt  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonwyatt/  Toolkits: https://www.edgilitytalent.com/building-your-personal-board      **Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence** 1\. Group Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders Want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2\. Team Coaching + Training I work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3\. Board Retreats + Trainings Your board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results. **Get your free starter kit today at** www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com **Connect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:** https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect **Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:** https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker