Discover Your True North

7Support Team

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

—African Proverb

If you were facing a major crisis in your life—such as losing your job, life-threatening illness, difficulties in your marriage, or death of a loved one—to whom would you turn? In challenging times, you need a solid network of trusted relationships with people who are available to counsel and care for you. Your support team is built upon long-term relationships and may include your spouse or partner, family members, best friends, mentors, and a small personal group.

Your support team has faith in you and understands your True North. Supporters don't care about your external successes or failures, but they do care about you as a person. Having people around you who support you gives you the confidence to listen to your inner voice, even when outsiders are attacking or criticizing you. Your closest confidants give you the resilience to get through hard times and enable you to recognize what is truly important in life.

Tad Piper's Support Team in His Crisis

Facing a crisis in his work, Piper Jaffray CEO Tad Piper learned just how essential his support team was in navigating difficult challenges. Even Piper is surprised to now find himself a member of three groups that support each other through life's difficulties.

Afforded early opportunities for business leadership, Piper was appointed chief executive of his family's growing financial services firm at age 36. A sophisticated ...