Ever had a service position you fell into? Or felt like you were pushed into just a little bit? And, once you got into that job, did you have no idea of what you were supposed to do?
We’ve all been there or will be there are some point in our service. So one of the best things any of us can do with our current service position is to share what we’ve learned for the benefit of the next person in the role. This post is my attempt to do that for the next and any future District Committee Members.
Leverage your history. If your district has guidelines, like ours does under our ‘District Documents’ page, familiarize yourself with them. Most of what you’ll face has already been faced by others in the role and has been addressed in the guidelines.
Leverage your tribe. There are many, many districts in Western Washington Area 72. That means there are many, many District Committee Members. Use the Area 72 Event Calendar (login or register to access the full content) to join in on the events aimed at the DCMs. And there is also a correlating Area 72 committee for each committee at the district level. Encourage your committee chairs to join the quarterly or monthly meetings at the area level.
Develop redundancy. Have an alternate for your role. Meet with them at some recurring interval and outside of other district business to share information and get to know each other. Let them 100% handle the responsibilities for a business meeting or area event so that they’re ready when you have a conflict or need a break.
Calibrate what the district provides to number of people in the district who make themselves available for service. I’ve felt pressure from myself to make sure we have all the same events and traditions we’ve had in the past, even if that meant a small group of people put a ton of things on their plate. Then people burn out and we end up putting even more on the plates of a smaller group. When a lot of people step up for service, let them do a lot. When the pool of service volunteers is smaller, trim back to the basics.
That’s it! The rest is small stuff. I have fun and feel gratitude when I’m able. And, when I’m not having a great time or feeling fulfilled, I try to remember that doing only the things I thought I should do is what used to get me into trouble. More will be revealed!
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