Latest / The Internal Move Podcast with Fexingo: Lateral Roles, Internal Transfers, and Staying at Your Company / How to Use an Internal Transfer to Build a Personal Board of Directors
Transcript
- Lucas: So we talk a lot on this show about the mechanics of an internal transfer — the resume tweaks, the conversations with HR, the shadow work. But there's one thing I think most people overlook, and it's probably the highest-leverage move you can make. Luna: What's that? Lucas: Building what I'd call a personal board of directors. A small, intentional group of people inside your company who are actively invested in your career — not just as references, but as advisors, sponsors, and sometimes even accountability partners. Luna: I love that framing. Because most people think 'board of directors' is something for CEOs and startups. But the analogy actually works really well for an internal move. Lucas: Exactly. And I want to ground this in a real example. I was talking to a marketing manager at a Fortune 50 company — let's call her Priya. She wanted to move from brand marketing into product management. But she had zero product experience on paper. So she couldn't just apply through the internal job board and hope for the best. Luna: Right, she needed people inside the company to vouch for her potential, not just her past work. Lucas: Exactly. So she built a personal board of four people. First, a senior sponsor — a VP in product who didn't know her well but was known for developing talent. She asked for fifteen minutes, came with a clear ask: 'I want to transition into product. Will you be a sounding board as I explore that?' Luna: And the VP said yes? Lucas: He did. Because she made it easy — she wasn't asking for a job, she was asking for advice. That's a huge distinction. Second, she picked a lateral peer — another marketing manager who had successfully moved into product the year before. That person could give her the tactical playbook: which projects to volunteer for, which PMs to shadow, how to frame her marketing experience in product terms. Luna: So that's the peer who's been through it. That's smart. Lucas: Third, she asked her current manager to be on the board. This is the one people are most nervous about, because they worry their manager will feel betrayed. But Priya framed it as: 'I love this company and I want to grow here. I'm exploring product. Can you help me think about how to make this transition in a way that doesn't leave the marketing team in a lurch?' Luna: And that actually made her manager an ally instead of an obstacle. Lucas: Exactly. Her manager even helped her find a part-time rotation on a product team. Fourth, she added a functional expert — a senior product designer who could give her honest feedback on her product thinking. That person didn't have power over her career, but they had credibility in the product org. Luna: So the board had four distinct roles: a sponsor, a peer who'd done it, her current manager, and a domain expert. That's a really deliberate mix. Lucas: Yes. And the key is that she didn't treat them as a one-time favor. She gave them a quarterly update, even if it was just a short email: 'Here's what I've done since we last talked. Here's what I'm working on next. Here's where I'm stuck.' That kept them engaged and made them feel invested in her success. Luna: I think the mistake most people make is they treat these advisors like references — they ask for help once, then only reach out again when they need a letter of recommendation. That's not a board, that's a list of names. Lucas: Exactly. A board meets regularly. It's a relationship, not a transaction. And here's the thing — when Priya finally applied for an internal product manager role, she didn't just have a resume and a cover letter. She had four people inside the product org who could speak to her readiness. The VP she'd been meeting with became her biggest advocate in the hiring decision. Luna: How long did it take her to build this board? Lucas: About four months. She started with the peer who'd made the transition, then the functional expert, then the sponsor, then her manager. She was methodical about it — one new relationship every few weeks, not all at once. Luna: And the actual transfer happened when? Lucas: About six months after she started building the board. So the whole process, from first coffee chat to starting the new role, was about ten months. Which sounds long, but it's actually faster than most internal transfers at that company, which typically take twelve to eighteen months. Luna: Because she had a board pulling for her. Lucas: Exactly. And I think that's the core insight. A personal board doesn't just give you advice — it creates an advocacy network inside the company. When a role opens up, you want people who already think of you as a product manager, not a marketing manager. Luna: So what's the one thing someone should do today if they want to start building their own board? Lucas: Identify one person who has already made the move you want to make — or who works in the team you're targeting — and ask them for fifteen minutes. Frame it exactly as Priya did: 'I'm exploring a move into your area. Could I ask you a few questions about your experience?' That's it. One coffee chat. The board builds from there. Luna: That's actionable. And honestly, if today's episode helped you think through a career move or gave you a concrete next step, that's the kind of thing that keeps us going. If it was worth a coffee to you, you know the link: buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, no pressure at all. Just if you found it useful and want to support the show staying ad-free. And if not, no worries — we're glad you're here. Luna: Now, back to Priya's story — there was one moment where her board almost collapsed. And it's a mistake I see a lot. Lucas: What happened? Luna: She made the mistake of asking her sponsor to be her reference in a formal internal application. The VP said no. Not because he didn't support her, but because he said, 'I'm not your reference. I'm your advisor. If I'm your reference, I can't be in the room when your candidacy is being discussed.' Lucas: That's actually really smart. A sponsor's power is in their informal influence — in hallway conversations, in meetings where they can say 'I've seen Priya's product thinking. She's ready.' Once they're a formal reference, they become one voice among many. Their real value is the behind the scenes advocacy. Luna: Exactly. So she learned to keep her board as advisors, not references. She used a different person — a former colleague who had moved to a different division — as her formal reference. Lucas: That's a great distinction. So your board is your strategic brain trust. Your references are a separate list. Don't conflate the two. Luna: And the other thing I loved about Priya's approach was that she didn't just take from her board — she gave back. She shared industry articles, offered to help with their projects, and when one of her board members needed a marketing perspective for a product launch, she was there. Lucas: That's key. A board is a reciprocal relationship. If you're only asking, people will stop wanting to help. Priya made sure every interaction had some give and take. Luna: So let's say someone is listening and they're thinking, 'I don't know four people well enough to ask them to be on my board.' What's the smallest possible start? Lucas: Start with one person you already have a good relationship with. It could be a peer you trust, a former manager, or even someone from a different team you've worked with on a project. Ask them if they'd be willing to meet monthly for thirty minutes to talk about your career. Most people will say yes if you make it easy and structured. Luna: And then from that first person, you can ask, 'Who else do you think I should talk to?' That's how Priya found her sponsor — through her peer. Lucas: Exactly. A personal board doesn't have to start with four people. It can start with one, and it grows organically. The important thing is to begin. Luna: I think that's the takeaway. If you're thinking about an internal transfer, don't just update your resume and apply. Spend time building the relationships that will advocate for you when you're not in the room. Lucas: And if you already have a few people you chat with about your career, think about whether they're structured enough to be a real board. Or if they're just casual conversations. Because a board is intentional. It meets regularly. It has a purpose. Luna: Alright, next episode we're going to talk about something that's been on my mind — how to handle a counteroffer from your current team when you're in the middle of an internal transfer. Lucas: Oh, that's a good one. Because the moment your manager finds out you're looking, they might try to keep you. And that can derail everything. Luna: Exactly. So we'll talk about how to navigate that conversation without burning bridges or losing your opportunity. Lucas: Great. See you next time.