NAICC: We The People …
By Grant McMillan, NAICC President
On July 4, 1776, something very important occurred in human history. It was the first time that a government was formed with the intention of it working for the people—where the people tell it what to do. Up until that point, the standard was that the government told the people what to do. President Reagan once said the government is the vehicle, and the people are the driver.
Your Call To Serve
This time of year, a lot of ag organizations begin preparing for annual meetings and selecting people to serve on boards to help guide these organizations through the upcoming year. For an organization to be successful, it needs these positions to be filled with individuals who represent its membership’s diversity and unique geographic, ethnic and generational demographics.
The more diversity that an organization is able to incorporate into its leadership group, the better its members will be able to drive the “vehicle” and the better the organization’s people will be able to relate to the organization.
A major roadblock that organizations face is the struggle to transition members to leadership positions. Having spent time on the boards of numerous organizations throughout my career, I cannot begin to sum up the time spent on selecting candidates for elections. And the concerning thing is the low percentage of people who accept to run versus the number of people asked.
Easier to Say ‘Yes’
I know the contributing factors to a “no” response center on questions potential candidates ask themselves. Those include “Am I qualified to do this?” and “Do I have enough time to commit to this?”
The answer to the first question should be “yes.” Sometimes, being humble can get in the way of owning your personal accomplishments. Remember, if you were not qualified, then you would not be asked.
For the second question, the answer should also be “yes” as the time commitment can be a fluid situation throughout the year as the organization’s needs change, depending on goals or issues at hand. But in the grand picture, the time commitment is not that great.
With any new experience, we are getting outside of our comfort zones, and that entails a certain level of fear and anxiety about failing yourself, the people who you look up to or the people who depend on you. Organizations have various support structures in place to help with onboarding new people, and they realize new board members will need time to get up to speed, feel comfortable in their roles and get their feet under them.
The Present of Your Presence
While playing with my daughter, I have realized it’s sometimes not all about the physical role of playing but more about the supportive role of being present and available when needed. The situation is similar when you serve on boards. You represent the people. Just be present and available to support them when needed.
