Finally!
Over the last several years, it has become apparent that in order to report the news, sell the ads and know what's going on in the community, you must become PART of the said community. It's very exciting and fulfilling to get out and make a difference. But it seems that I have become a "habitual volunteer" who signs up for way too many committees and forums!
A couple of years ago, some very good friends asked me to help them start an American Business Women's Association chapter in Snellville. Sounded good. A great networking tool, the ABWA is a national organization with outstanding "how to" books on starting things up. So we set up a founding committee and got 60 ladies to join up in less than 4 months! It was an outstanding feat that resulted in a National Award. Sounds good, huh?
But as with most any organization, 60 members means that there is a base of about 10-15 that do all the work - the backbones of many organizations that I am active in include some of the same 6 or 7 people. Like me, they just have a hard time saying "no."
Why do we do it? In all honesty, there's a chance of making a difference to the community by being involved that makes these civic organizations so appealing. Scholarship monies into the community, helping with civic problems, assisting new businesses to get a toe-hold ... And then there are the corporate benefits of networking with like-minded folks and trading services.
During the last several months, however, I realized I was not effective in many of my efforts because I was so spread out that I couldn't give 100% to anybody. Balancing career and family is hard enough, but dinner meetings, luncheons, board meetings ... it had all gotten to be just a bit much!
So this evening, I finally retired my Secretary pin for the SG-ABWA. Because of our chartering date, the board served as start-up committee and executive board for more than 20 months. We learned a lot about what not to do and pray that the incoming board is smarter than we were in the administration of this great group of women.
I'm planning to take a month or so off from many of these efforts just to evalulate which ones I can sincerely profit from, take enjoyment and fellowship from and which ones can use my talents to make a difference.
This is me and my great friend Jackie Ginn who did the "we're no longer officers dance" with me - as glamorous as she is, we also learned, along with our friend Barbara McClure, how to create rude body noises with our hands and our armpits while flying the friendly skies.
Yeah ... it's a great group of gals!
A couple of years ago, some very good friends asked me to help them start an American Business Women's Association chapter in Snellville. Sounded good. A great networking tool, the ABWA is a national organization with outstanding "how to" books on starting things up. So we set up a founding committee and got 60 ladies to join up in less than 4 months! It was an outstanding feat that resulted in a National Award. Sounds good, huh?
But as with most any organization, 60 members means that there is a base of about 10-15 that do all the work - the backbones of many organizations that I am active in include some of the same 6 or 7 people. Like me, they just have a hard time saying "no."
Why do we do it? In all honesty, there's a chance of making a difference to the community by being involved that makes these civic organizations so appealing. Scholarship monies into the community, helping with civic problems, assisting new businesses to get a toe-hold ... And then there are the corporate benefits of networking with like-minded folks and trading services.
During the last several months, however, I realized I was not effective in many of my efforts because I was so spread out that I couldn't give 100% to anybody. Balancing career and family is hard enough, but dinner meetings, luncheons, board meetings ... it had all gotten to be just a bit much!
So this evening, I finally retired my Secretary pin for the SG-ABWA. Because of our chartering date, the board served as start-up committee and executive board for more than 20 months. We learned a lot about what not to do and pray that the incoming board is smarter than we were in the administration of this great group of women.
I'm planning to take a month or so off from many of these efforts just to evalulate which ones I can sincerely profit from, take enjoyment and fellowship from and which ones can use my talents to make a difference.This is me and my great friend Jackie Ginn who did the "we're no longer officers dance" with me - as glamorous as she is, we also learned, along with our friend Barbara McClure, how to create rude body noises with our hands and our armpits while flying the friendly skies.
Yeah ... it's a great group of gals!
posted by Gail | 6:53 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home