Penny Leach, a procurement specialist in the management of electronic information resources, is currently managing vendor relations for Business Information Services at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. She kindly shares her thoughts and experience on volunteering with SLA Europe.
Last year, I finally decided to resign from the Board of SLA Europe. I’ve been involved for many years, in a variety of advisory and executive roles, including President, Awards Chair and Secretary. I am stepping down because I am Chair-Elect for the Leadership & Management Division (and the division’s 2015 Conference Programme Planner). In other words I am not leaving the SLA family or tribe – simply moving to another part of the house (to mix metaphors nicely!).
Why have I stayed involved so long? Because it is such a positive experience! I know people shy away from getting involved in running membership association activities, fearing the workload and the impact on their free time, perhaps lacking confidence, or thinking that their paid work is enough professionally. All I can say is that I find actively supporting professional membership groups such as SLA, which has been my primary association home for over a decade, a deeply rewarding experience in many ways. That is not to say such work can’t be time-consuming and difficult at times, and it’s not for those who want everything handed to them on a plate, but if you are positive and open-minded, happy to blur work and pleasure, and ready to ‘pay it forward’, then there are many benefits.
Develop your professional skills – you might have other opportunities to create and put on events, work in virtual teams, chair meetings (or write accurate meeting minutes), speak in public, run a selection panel, learn digital communication skills, improve your time management, but if not, then volunteering to help with a membership association is a way to strengthen such skills and build others in a friendly environment.
Improve your emotional intelligence – learn that it is nice to have your efforts appreciated but that you can’t please everyone all of the time, that you may not agree with all of your team but that is not necessary for success, that you might have to say ‘no’ sometimes, that people like professional recognition (one of the reasons for SLA Europe’s Early Career Conference Awards), that helping others to be successful is very enjoyable.
Strengthen your commercial awareness – membership association activities might be largely run by volunteers (as SLA’s are outside of the services of the paid HQ staff), but those volunteers at unit level have to act as if they are running small businesses, and deal with such corporate issues as funding, PR, recruitment, and organisational and personal reputation in delivering on their promises to members and the wider world.
Widen your connections – through SLA I have made contacts and built relationships around the world that I can turn to for information, advice or a different point of view. Some have turned in to friends, with the added bonus of a shared interest in the information profession and a passion for its success. A long time ago, as Chair of the Management Committee of the late lamented London-centric City Information Group, I wrote an article on the continued importance of ‘peer to peer’ connections, that technology was no substitute for real life contact. Social media has changed that dynamic somewhat, but I still think it is important to know who is behind the tweets and blogs. As others have written, in a digital world, we still need humanity.
Grow your confidence – have people believe in you and trust you, be mentored by colleagues of all levels, become a trusted advisor and mentor to others.
Travel – I have visited several places in North America that I would otherwise probably not have gone to. Indeed I am just back from Baltimore where I took part in this year’s SLA Leadership Summit (along with John Coll).
Refuel – the sense of achievement and satisfaction, being surrounded by other positive people who generously share their expertise and time, seeing others grow professionally (and personally) I find is inspiring and energising.
I take this opportunity to thank all those who have helped make my SLA journey so rewarding so far – and look forward to new SLA challenges – and fun – in the years ahead.
Penny Leach