by Stan DeMerritt, VP Finance and Tina Falkner, VP Records and Academic Services
Reflecting on our first year of service on the Board of Directors for AACRAO is daunting. Critical self-evaluation isn’t something most people relish, and we are no different. There are always the good, the bad and the ugly to everything we do, even the work of AACRAO. Overall, the past year has been filled with collegiality, extremely intellectual discussions, and ominous responsibility. Taking responsibility for the future of a century old association is not something to be taken lightly, and we are committed to leaving AACRAO in better shape than when we joined the Board, when our Board service ends at the Phoenix meeting in 2016.
At the beginning
From the first Board meeting as observers in December 2012, we felt as if we belonged to the group despite still being a nominee. We were encouraged to engage in the discussions at hand. Thankfully, it was’t like being an observer at the U.S. Senate session where you sit in the peanut gallery and are not allowed to utter a word. Rather, we were immediately accepted for the role in which we were nominated and welcomed to be a part of discussions. Discussions were respectful and controlled and made us both remember the training we received in kindergarten of raising your hand is actually a sign of respect and civility. Robert Fulghum would be proud!
3 big lessons
Overall, three points stand out when reflecting on the first year: think strategically; come prepared for meetings; and take care of yourself. Since both of us have served as the Program Committee Chair, it was difficult at times to shift perspective from daily operational and meeting planning details to an overall strategic associational one. On more than one occasion at the beginning we had to remind each other, “you’re getting into the weeds.” However, now we look at everything we do to determine if it’s association strategic thinking or weed thinking.
Second, coming prepared for meetings is much more than reading information prior to meetings; it requires reframing the mind to the mode of AACRAO work. Often we come to meetings distracted by all the other things happening in our lives – work, family, health, work, work. Being prepared involves making sure that family, friends, and employees/employers understand that there will be times during the day in which phone calls, texting, email and social media is not an option. Sharing the agenda and letting them know when breaks occur have been beneficial to avoid distractions. Just as our family, friends, and employees/employers expect us to focus and be engaged when we are with them, we need to have that same level of attention when we are conducting the business of AACRAO.
Lastly, taking care of the body, mind, and spirit can easily get lost when dealing with multiple stressors. A fairly silly but important lesson we learned fairly early on in our Board service was the importance of wearing or bringing comfortable shoes. After being confined to a meeting room for eight hours filled with intense discussion and lots of food, evening walks to clear the mind and get the blood pumping are almost a requirement to remain sane; it also makes for a better night’s sleep. And finally, drink lots of water! Hotel meeting rooms are remarkably consistent at dehydrating attendees.
Talk with us!
There are many other items we could share, but rather than bore you, we invite you join us for a cup of coffee or a brisk walk, or both. Anyone from the Board, past or present, will be more than happy to share their experiences and the impact Board service has on their life professionally and personally.