CANDIDATE QUESTION 2018| HOW WILL YOU HANDLE THIS?

[Walkingadventure]

With 9 different personalities on the board, your opinion may not be the one chosen by the group.
How will you handle this? Can you tell us about a time this has happened to you?

…and those less enjoyable tasks (like washing dishes or typing up event descriptions), how do you feel about spending your time doing these things while everyone is off caching or socializing?

One last piece:
How will you handle having to lead something that is outside your comfort zone such as talking in front of a large group or coordinating a pancake breakfast for example?

Following the signals from space.

[rawevil]

With 9 different personalities on the board, your opinion may not be the one chosen by the group. How will you handle this? Can you tell us about a time this has happened to you?

Having been on the board, I have experienced this on more than one occasion. Everyone thinks their idea is the best. How can it not be? It’s yours and everyone should agree, right? Well, not so much. There are different personalities and ideas on the board and within the membership. And at the end of the day, it’s called compromise.

I will give one example of my first year on the BOD and designing a new geocoin that the WGA had not had in awhile. I had all of these great ideas, great designs, and the means in order to design a coin. I didn’t do just one, I did 4, expecting that people would have different thoughts and opinions and we’d all agree on one of the 4 designs. That’s not how that worked out however. I was working with another BOD on the committee at the time. The other person did all of the contacting geocoin suppliers with requesting quotes, getting timelines, and even supplying their own design ideas. Both of our ideas were met with opposition. The geocoin went back to the drawing board. At this point in time, we weren’t sure if it would be available for the Campout in 2016 for purchase. But, by going back to the drawing board, we were able to come up with an agreeable design with an agreeable slogan for that year. And we did all this by compromising.

…and those less enjoyable tasks (like washing dishes or typing up event descriptions), how do you feel about spending your time doing these things while everyone is off caching or socializing?

I’ve done a lot of dishes and written a lot of cache descriptions like many of the other current and previous BOD. Did my caching numbers go down? You bet they did. But, did I make a commitment to serve on the BOD and meet all aspects of what needs to be accomplished while serving the membership during events? Yes, I did. You do sacrifice time while being a board member. There is no way around that. Am i unhappy about it? Absolutely not.

One last piece:
How will you handle having to lead something that is outside your comfort zone such as talking in front of a large group or coordinating a pancake breakfast for example?

Good question. You put your best foot forward and do what needs to be done with the task you are given no matter how hard it may seem or how uncomfortable the situation. The only person you will fail is yourself if you don’t give it a shot. It’s also OK to ask for help or guidance knowing that you don’t have to do it all alone because others have been there as well.

It’s OK to step outside of your comfort zone, they may not know you there yet, but that comfort zone just got a little bit larger.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

-Henry David Thoreau

[raslas]

With 9 people on the board it is unlikely that everyone will have the same idea.  When that happens we talk it out and in the end the majority rules.  Even if your idea isn’t the chosen one you pitch in an do what you can to help.

And yes when you are on the bod you do spend quite a bit of time doing dishes, working on cache pages, etc so you don’t really have a lot of time to cache but when you decide to run for the bod you have to commit yourself to the bod and member needs first.  The caches will be there for you to find at a later date.  The number of caches I have found each year since serving on the bod have dropped but I am enjoying serving the members.

As far as stepping out of your comfort zone, you have to do what is necessary even if it is hard for you.  But the good part is, you are never really alone.  The rest of the bod is there to encourage and help you along.

[BigJim]

The example that I’m going to give is not about me, but it taught me a lot about accepting the decisions of the group. I worked for a convenience store chain for 5 years. For three of those years I was District Manager, supervising 8 – 10 stores. At one of our monthly management team meetings a suggestion was made to make a significant change in the way we delivered one of our most popular products. The president (and majority owner) of the company was against this change, but when the group voted to go ahead with it, he accepted and supported that decision. This is a man who owned 60% of the company. He could easily have said “No, this is my company and we are going to do things the way I want them done,” but he didn’t do that. If he can do that where his livelyhood is on the line, then I can accept decisions that I don’t agree with as well. In my experience serving on other boards, I have experienced this on several occasions. Sometimes it’s hard not to say “I told you so” when the decision doesn’t work out, but that type of attitude serves no purpose.

As a volunteer with the Boy Scouts, I often find myself working behind the scenes, often starting early in the morning, while others sleep, then going to bed early while the rest of the group plays. It’s a role I don’t mind.I also don’t mind stretching my comfort zone. In order to fly, one must be willing to leave the safety of the ground.

All opinions, comments, and useless drivel I post are mine alone and do not reflect the opinions of the WGA BOD.

[HamFam]

Good questions Chris, I try to keep an open mind when others have new or differing ideas.  Likewise, if my idea isn’t chosen, that’s fine.  The other ideas was probably better, and if it was, I’d vote for that too.  I do think it’s important to look at all aspects of opinions including the good, the bad and the ugly.  How will this idea affect others?  Does it follow our Associations core values.  In the end, if my idea isn’t chosen, it won’t bother me.  I have more concern for the group than I do for my personal arrogance.

Next question, I hate doing dishes…Don’t mind loading the dishwasher though.  Of course this hatred doesn’t keep me from this chore at home.  Sometimes the dishes just aren’t dishwasher safe.  Regarding this and other chores like typing event pages, I don’t mind doing what needs to be done.  I see being on the board as an opportunity to give back to the community.  I have no problem making some sacrifices for the whole of our group.

Regarding your last question, I enjoy operating out of my comfort zone a little.  It’s how we grow as humans.  But public speaking…remember when Pixiestix13 and I hosted the LCG event at Bubolz?…say as little as necessary and introduce the president, let them do the heavy talking.

The views expressed here are that of myself only and do not necessarily represent that of the WGA board.

[graphicsgirl19]

It will be once in a blue moon that all 9 people’s opinion would be the same. When someone disagrees with you, its not the time to throw a hissy fit. It’s time to be supportive and respectful that its about the common goal being accomplished and how you do what you can to help.

Dishwashers make everything easier. It still needs to be done though and someone has to do it. If I am more than willing to volunteer my time for this and get it done then I will. And make sure everyone still has fun in the process.

I’m not sure I know anyone who really enjoys public speaking. Some are more comfortable than others of course. However, as with anything else, it helps to be prepared. As a board member, you know what is required, you know what your topic is to speak on. So let’s get it done and step up.

[_LoisLane_]

With 9 different personalities on the board, your opinion may not be the one chosen by the group.
How will you handle this? Can you tell us about a time this has happened to you?

I have been in this situation many times, I work with a group of admin to maintain a website and we don’t always have the same ideas. I have learned through that how to present my opinions that differ in ways that don’t sound demeaning. I also fully acknowledge the fact that my idea isn’t always the best idea and that is why their is a board and not just one person running the show.

…and those less enjoyable tasks (like washing dishes or typing up event descriptions), how do you feel about spending your time doing these things while everyone is off caching or socializing?

I don’t mind at all. I know that sometimes being in certain roles mean that you don’t always get to have all the fun, sometimes work has to get done and someone has to do it.

One last piece:
How will you handle having to lead something that is outside your comfort zone such as talking in front of a large group or coordinating a pancake breakfast for example?

So, a lot of things that I have done in my life are outside of my comfort zone and in my experience for the most part they have usually lead to positive growth so I am constantly pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. I also used to do public speaking for fun even thought it terrifies me if that tells you anything about me.

[sevencards]

I have done plenty of event coordination with various groups and various people some successful and others not.  But helping attempt to bring people together for a mutual interest without conflict is always a plus but not always possible.  I do try to put myself in different shoes to see all view points so going along with something that isnt my way isnt a problem.

[Author]

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