So You've Been Elected! The Value of Taking a Leadership Role in Your Professional Association (10/06)
By Linda Hutchinson, Sr. LexisNexis Librarian Relations Consultant
When I was approached in 2004 by the SLA Maryland Chapter’s Nominations Committee about running for office, I hesitated.
I had already reaped benefits of being a participating member in various associations – a broadened network of professional colleagues and resources, learning opportunities through local and national programs, and some new friends who shared my addiction to chocolate. Plus, the SLA Maryland Chapter had a number of major events and projects coming up – among them, a 75th anniversary, a web site that needed a major redesign, and the 2006 SLA Annual Conference in Baltimore.
Why, then, should I take on a leadership role in this professional association?
Now that my tenure as President of the SLA Maryland Chapter is coming to an end, I’d like to share with you three ways in which assuming a leadership role in a professional organization can result in professional and personal enrichment.
Develop your leadership potential in a supportive environment:
- The SLA Maryland Chapter Board and membership provided a safe and supportive environment in part because it is in the interest of the chapter to develop and encourage potential leaders and build a pipeline of future leaders. I sought out mentors on the Chapter Board and in the membership community to advise me.
- Likewise, it is to the benefit of the association that leaders are identified, nurtured and supported. Look for association resources and participate in association leadership development efforts, exemplified by SLA’s Leadership Center web site, Leadership Summits and Leadership Institutes. The SLA leadership resources proved to be invaluable, providing practical advice on running a chapter and developing leadership skills.
- And last, but certainly not least, your friends and colleagues inside and outside of the association will want you to succeed for your sake. For me, these friends and colleagues were particularly helpful as sounding boards for those times when I needed a more balanced or independent perspective on a particular challenge or strategy that I might be contemplating.
- Tip: I encourage you to take the free Franklin Covey assessment. Just taking the assessment raised my sensitivity to certain management and collaborative aspects of leadership and gave me quick insight into potential weaknesses and strengths.
Improve your ability to get things done while working on a team:
- Collaborating with others is a hallmark of our work environment today. Frequently, teams do not remain static but change members and responsibilities as the organizational missions, strategies and goals change. Fostering teamwork when members at times must rely on conference calls, email and other virtual contact can sometimes be a challenge especially when time or budget runs short and decisions must be made. Seeing what worked and what didn’t as chapter president helped me to become more effective in other areas of my life, personally as well as professionally.
- In a volunteer environment, it is even more critical to express appreciation, delegate appropriately, be sensitive to time constraints, and give teams the support (and political cover, if needed) to get things done. Moreover, the talent, expertise and experience abundant in the membership of the SLA Maryland Chapter were frequently much greater than my own. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing projects come together and in many instances, simply had to learn how to get out of the way!
- Tip: Although I am still not entirely comfortable with Robert’s Rules of Order, I put into practice many of the suggestions my colleague Jenny Kanji spoke of in her column “Meetings, Bloody Meetings.” Learning to run an effective meeting is an indispensable project management and leadership skill.
Deepen existing relationships and form new friendships:
- Over the last two years, as President-Elect and then President, I have worked closely with professionals I have long respected and I value the new friendships I have made.
So as you can see, I overcame my hesitation to take on a leadership role – and I am glad that I did! I hope my comments or leadership resources that accompany this article inspire you to consider accepting a leadership role in your organizations.
Leadership Resources
Bibliographies:
Leadership Development web sites:
