For my service I received a plaque. A picture is at the end of the post.
This post is not about my tenure or the accomplishments of the organization during my term. Rather, it is about how different it is to chair an association. Please understand, I serve or served on several non-profit boards over my career. Most are professional, a couple are personal. However, I have never served as chair, until now.
A word about non-profit and association boards. Generally you have two types. One is staff driven. By this I mean a professional staff usually runs the show. This is generally because the organization's goals, objectives, and metrics are predetermined. You have strict reporting criteria, and the programs are detailed and regimented. The other type is board driven. The board works with a lean and professional staff and the board plays a major role in setting goals, objectives, metrics, and programs.
C2ER is board driven. The association has a highly professional staff. It produces products and offers unique services. An example is the Cost of Living Index (COLI). We lobby for government programs that provide data for public consumption. If you want to know more, check out the website:
http://www.c2er.org
When you are a board member and/or committee chair, you spend considerable time on that specific duty and responsibility. The support of other board members and the professional staff makes it much easier.
For example, when I was treasurer, I would spend time reviewing the financials. Then I would have a lengthy conversation with the appropriate staff to answer any questions I may have. My goal was to offer the board a succinct and brief overview of the finances and anticipate any questions. I also served on a committee, but on this matter, I backed up the committee chair. Finally, I read the entire board package and actively participated on conference calls. It took time, but the organization was and is well worth it.
One year ago I was elected chairman. As chairman your main responsibilities are to run the quarterly board meetings, oversee the annual meeting, manage the annual retreat, and track the progress of each priority program. The real value to me was for the first time I could see all of the activities and efforts of the association as a whole, the board members, and the membership. It was eye opening. You know how you can be so close to the trees you cannot see the forest. But as chair, I got to see the trees and the forest. In a nutshell, this is a strong and vibrant organization that adheres to key principles and revises priorities in a churn environment.
I will hang up my plaque on a wall in my office. To many who will see it, I suspect that they will think it is one of many they see on other people's walls. That it is a gift of time spent in an association and nothing more.
Now I look at plaques like this far differently. You chose to offer your time and expertise to improve a profession and an organization. You worked with an extraordinary group of unique individuals, all moving (more or less) toward shared goals and objectives. You participated in lively discussions where you heard very different perspectives that made you think about your stance. Your interactions with staff reinforced your conclusion that these are dedicated and smart people. Finally, you tried to leave an association and profession slightly better than you found it. For that I am very grateful to the C2ER membership for allowing me to serve as chair.
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