One of many projects I have done as a Toastmaster is a high performance leadership project. In this project you recruit two teams: an action team that does the work for your project, and a guidance committee that serves as your team of advisors. As the leader, you choose what project you want to work, then you work with your action team to carry out the project while seeking regular advice and feedback from your guidance committee.

Having a guidance committee is great. It is like having a team of mentors you meet with regularly. Friends who can challenge you and give you feedback to help you to be a better leader. But you don’t have to do a High Performance Leadership project to recruit a guidance committee.

No matter what project you are working on, or what leadership role you take on, you can benefit from having a guidance committee. And in this article we are going to explore the true value of having a team of advisors to support you on your leadership journey.

A Guidance Committee Offers Diverse Perspectives for Better Decision-Making

A guidance committee brings together people with varied backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints. This diversity helps leaders see blind spots, evaluate ideas more thoroughly, and make more balanced, informed decisions.

In my year as Division I Director for Toastmasters District 28, I recruited a team of two people as my guidance committee. My friend Liban and my mentor Vera. Vera is a past international director for Toastmasters, which means I was able to tap into her knowledge and experience as a Toastmasters leader. As for Liban, he does not have district leadership experience as a Toastmaster, but he does have extensive leadership experience as a project manager. This means that both Liban and Vera brought different perspectives to the team, and they were great advisors for me during my year as division director.

One of the greatest benefits of having a guidance committee is that they can be a sounding board for your ideas. They can see what you do not see, and this can help make your ideas better, or they can even help you find different ideas than the ones you initially proposed.

Having other perspectives also helps you to make better decisions. You may think you have a great idea with no downsides, but other people can point out scenarios and pitfalls you didn’t anticipate. This can help you strengthen your plans and to set better goals.

A Guidance Committee Offers Support and Accountability

Leadership can feel isolating. A guidance committee creates a trusted circle that encourages, challenges, and keeps the leader focused on their values and vision – especially during tough or uncertain times.

Liban and Vera were both very supportive and encouraging. They pointed out my strengths and helped me to make better decisions during my year as division director. They also gave me ideas to consider when I was not sure how to proceed on some of my responsibilities as division director.

Something else to consider is that a guidance committee can help hold you accountable to achieving your goals. When you have only yourself, it can be more difficult to make hard decisions to stay on track and to move closer to completing your goals. However, if you regularly report on your progress to your guidance committee, they can put positive pressure on you to help you stay accountable to your goals.

A Guidance Committee Helps You Stay Aligned with Long-Term Goals

With regular input and honest feedback, a guidance committee helps you avoid distractions and they can help you to stay aligned with your mission, purpose, and strategic direction. They act as a compass when you’re tempted to veer off course.

For example, when I was not sure what I should be doing during my last few months as division director, I was able to meet with Liban and Vera to get their advice on what I should be doing to fulfill my responsibilities as division director. This helped me to come up with a plan for how to be effective through to the end of my term.

A Guidance Committee Strengthens Your Leadership Through Collective Wisdom

You don’t have to have all the answers. A strong guidance committee allows you to tap into the wisdom, experience, and insight of others – strengthening your leadership without weakening your authority.

For example, I have several years of experience as a Toastmaster, but that does not mean I know everything. There are different perspectives in every situation, and having the views of my guidance committee members helps me to come up with more ideas than I would have on my own.

With Vera, I can learn from an experienced Toastmaster who has served as international director. Her experience and insights from serving in that role can help me to better understand my own role as a division director. And in the case of Liban, I can learn from his leadership experience as a project manager. He often shares perspectives on leadership that come from outside of Toastmasters.

Conclusion

Having a guidance committee gives you a team of advisors to support you on your leadership journey. They can be a sounding board for ideas. They can challenge your thinking and help you improve. Not only that, but they can be friends and trusted advisors you can turn to for advice and support.

I had a great guidance committee for my year as division director. Liban and Vera both shared their ideas and experience, which helped me make important decisions during my year as division director. I also enjoyed meeting with them during the year and sharing my plans and goals with them. They were both supportive and encouraging and helped me to be successful this year as division director.

I definitely recommend recruiting a guidance committee when you start a new project or take on a new leadership role. It will give you a team of advisors you can call on for advice and support. And it will make you a more effective leader because you won’t just be relying on yourself.