If you want the job, let the room decide

No newsletter for the last two weeks. Life got in the way. I write these myself, so when I don’t get there, it doesn’t go. There’s no automation behind it, and I’d rather you know that than wonder.

It’s AGM season. Some clubs have had theirs, plenty haven’t. So this one is for anyone who has just stepped into a role, and anyone thinking about it.

If you’re thinking about putting your hand up, do it. I mean that. It can be a very rewarding thing to do for your community. It’s also going to be hard, and it doesn’t matter how much money the club has, how many volunteers, or what shape it’s in. It’s hard because you’re dealing with people. That’s what it boils down to.

So do it for the right reasons. The right reason is the running of the club, and the club still being there long after you’ve left. It is not a popularity contest, and it should never become one.

Here’s the trap. You decide you want the role, and you decide the way to get it is to run around before the meeting lining up support. Stop and ask what you’re committing to before you’ve stepped into the job. Every one of those conversations is a promise, whether you said the words or not. If you win it as a popularity contest, you have to keep it as one, and I’d argue that does not make for a well-run club.

That’s different from having your team ready. Last issue I said build your team before the AGM, and I stand by it. The team is the people who’ll do the work with you. The numbers are the people who’ll vote for you. Build the first. Don’t chase the second.

My advice is simpler. Prepare your submission. Be ready to stand up in the room and say why you want the job and what you’ll do with it. Then let the room decide.

And if you want it because you like the power, or you’ve got an axe to grind, or an ego that needs feeding, I’ll be blunt: you’re not the right person for the job. Running a club takes confidence, commitment and conviction. You’ll make hard decisions and you’ll piss some people off. That’s fine, provided it’s for the best outcome for the club. There’s a very big difference between the best outcome for the club and some people telling you you’re doing a great job. Those are not the same thing, and the job is the first one.

One more thing. I’ve already seen posts in the last few weeks from clubs that can’t find anyone to fill the executive. That’s sad. A club can’t form without the three executives, and clubs are closing because it’s getting harder to find people. It’s a big commitment, but it’s one of the better things you can do for your community.

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