What is an Approved Advisor?

What is an Approved Advisor™?

An Approved Advisor is an Advisory Board professional who makes themselves available to participate on an Advisory Board or Committee structure.

Approved Advisor is an exclusive credential issued by the Advisory Board Centre for Advisory professionals that are current in their professional membership standing .  Access to the professional membership is via a selective application process including an evaluation of the participants professional background, motivations, aspirations and suitability to positively impact organisations at a board level.

Approved Advisor professionals adhere to the professional Code of Ethics and must also hold the Advisory Board Technical Foundations micro-credential which provides a strong foundation for application of the ABF101: Advisory Board Best Practice Framework™ in strategic advisory, advisory boards, committees, panels and board-level engagements.

What does an Approved Advisor do?

An Approved Advisor is equipped to help organisations in several ways:

Insight & Advice on Strategic Priorities

Approved Advisors leverage their professional experience and knowledge to support the organisations with non-binding strategic insight and advice on strategic priorities identified by the organisation.  This can include objective feedback which is aligned to the Approved Advisor’s areas of experience and exposure across a range of companies, industries, locations and/or connections.

Advisory Board Participation

Many organisations may not have the internal skill, experience, time or objectivity to effectively acquire key knowledge on issues that are strategic opportunities or risks for the organisation.  Approved Advisors bring specialist knowledge to the organisation to build internal value and effectively close knowledge gaps. Approved Advisors are often called upon in an Advisory Board format to supplement the knowledge or direct experience of the Executive Team or Governance Board.

Stakeholder Representation, Engagement and Advocacy

Approved Advisors may be called upon to provide strategic representation of a stakeholder group or groups.  Working closely with the organisation and Certified Chair of the Advisory Board, an Approved Advisor is keenly aware of the Board’s scope and the agenda and aims to create an environment where critical thinking, robust discussion and value transference occur.  Approved Advisors are also recognised for the currency of their skills and quality of their networks.  Depending on the scope of the Board, Approved Advisors may also provide strategic advocacy for the organisation including introductions or connections within their wider network.

How can I find an Approved Advisor?

Only individuals who are current professional members of the Advisory Board Centre are authorised to use the Approved Advisor credentials.  If you are working with a strategic Advisor, ask about their credentials and professional development activities that assist them to remain current in their skills and market knowledge.

Additionally, organisations can access the complimentary Advisor Concierge service from the Advisory Board Centre to connect with independent Approved Advisors.

How do I become an Approved Advisor?

Supporting organisations at a Board level is a serious undertaking and it may not be suitable for everyone.  It requires skill and experience combined with the motivation to add value and positive impact to the organisations you serve.

Effective Advisor can come from any professional background or industry.  Organisations value Advisors that are active in the market, current in their networks and invested in their own learning and development.

As the developers and custodians of the Advisory Board Best Practice Framework™, the Advisory Board Centre is the sole organisation authorised to deliver authenticated education and resources globally for the Advisory Board Best Practice Framework™ and Approved Advisor credentials.

Learn more about Advisory Board Centre professional membership.