Help for Buyer’s Remorse?
Posted on August 1st, 2007 by Cynthia D'Amour
What should Jesse do?
With the arrival of August, many leadership teams are gearing up for a strong September kick off for their chapter.
Jesse is a new board member who was excited to be elected in the spring .
Jesse is now less than thrilled with the opportunity.
Jesse explained the chapter’s board has met three times for far (total 15+ hours) - and the board has yet to:
- bond as a team
- get clear on who is doing what
- move anything forward
“If we had had no meetings all summer, the board would be just as far along…”
- Jesse is having buyer’s remorse about joining the board - and debating whether it is worth the time to stick around.
- This board is facing a crisis.
- The president is not sure what to do first.
Made me think of all the chapter leaders reading this blog…what advice would you give to Jesse? To the chapter president?
Filed under: Board challenges
Just caught this through Google Reader and wanted to assure everyone that might know me *and* this blog that I am not the Jesse Cynthia mentions. I’ve followed her blog for a number of months but we’ve never met in person, and I have NO remorse about being elected to the ARMA International Board of Directors as a Director this year - in fact I’m looking forward to it!
Cheers!
Hi Jesse!
Thanks for reading - and the clarification!
I should have noted “Jesse” is not the real name of the person in this entry. I changed the name to protect the innocent (and not so innocent).
My apology to Jesse and any other’s whose blood pressure I may have impacted. I’m obviously still learning the finer points of blogging.
Thanks for bringing this so quickly to my attention!
I think Jesse should dump this group. Who has time to waste like that? There are so many groups out there that could use board members - no one needs to put up with a rotten experience.
As far as the president goes I bet they are clueless and do not realize there is a problem. Three meetings, 15+ hours, no movement, they probably don’t know how to do it any other way.
Move on Jesse!
Whoa! Just because Jesse doesn’t feel like she’s had a great experience yet is not a reason to get off the board. She should talk to the chapter president and share her feelings.
If Jesse is really a leader, she should stick around to make things right.
Tammy and Proud2Lead,
Thanks for your comments. I guess the question becomes at what point is it okay to step down from a board position? Or what responsibility does a board member have to make sure their time is used wisely?
Do the standards change for those who are new to the board and may have less influence over how things are run?
Agreed w/proud to lead at some point. Jesse needs to have a heart-2-heart with the prez…if she thinks it’s going to make a difference. If it doesn’t, and the communication is that dysfunctional, that should be a clue. Life’s too short to waste our time on ineffective fora… It doesn’t mean she should stop being interested, but at what point is someone wasting their time?
If nothing’s going to change, Jesse should quit the board and find other options within (or without) to bring the changes and involvement she would like to see.
caveman
Caveman - Jesse took an oath when sworn in - she needs to make her word good. Quitting should not be an option! Otherwise people will just dabble at being leaders and checkout when they are tired or feel there time is being wasted. That is so wrong!!!!
True, but sometimes a point is made by a resignation…to be sure, you generally only get to use it once–and it usually means the end of one’s involvement with the group–unless things are so bad one can use that resignation to bring change. Food for thought.
-Caveman
Caveman, if she quits, it means she was never serious in the first place. I’m sure Jesse is replaceable!
I feel that you are both right. I don’t like quitting, but there does come a time when you feel unwanted. I think that Jesse should complete her term, but regretfully not take a second term. Jesse may be just the catalyst that will make this group move. Working with a group that is slow in making decisions and go over the same material gets old in a hurry. Jess needs to suggest that they move on to the next topic and get moving. Sometimes that helps getting people focused in the right direction.
Judy
3 meetings-15 hours! This is already a crime and indicative something is wrong. 5 hour meetings you’ve got to be kidding. I was on several boards and if we met for 15 hours in 3 meetings, there would have been a revolt. Meetings need to have an agenda, a reasonable time frame (5 hours is not) and be productive. No one, in today’s world has this type of time to waste. Jesse needs to talk to the President, address the concerns and give it time to change. If no change in the next few meetings, it will never change and time bid adeau.
This is a catch 22. If those want to deliver quit when those above them aren’t delivering, then the board is doomed to be occupied by those who don’t deliver.
I would only condone quitting if it seems hopeless, otherewise jesse is delivering less than the others. If her sentiments are truly because she wants good things for the board, then it is a bit soon to bail.
Since no one knows who I am, I can say that I am not happy with my board’s president, and I fear for our gold status. However, I will soon be president and will have the opportunity to do things as good as I think he should (and then I’ll find out how difficult it may be). I do my tasks to the best of my ability, and won’t let our current bottleneck drive me away from service to my chapter.
If all the good volunteers bail due to the poor ones, our mission is doomed.