Hi Everyone

I don't know where the time goes as we get older but it sure has been a fast year. This is the last newsletter of 2008 and my last one as president. It's been an eye opening two years and I send Eric Fisher my best wishes for next year. Those of you who haven't done this job should take it on at least once and find out what goes on behind the scenes. I'm looking forward to next year and just showing up at the field and flying. I do want to thank everyone who helped me out these last two years with advice and information. I also want to thank everyone in the club who volunteered their time for the numerous events we've held, with everyones hard work the open house went from strength to strength and I'm sure will get bigger and better next year.

Don't forget the Christmas dinner next Month, and yes I know I've reminded you at least five times but you would be amazed how many people sign up for it and then forget about it. So I'll see you all Friday Dec 5th, cocktails at 6:30 dinner at 7:00.

 Mick

PRESIDENT TO PRESIDENT

Leading a Club is More Than Doing the Job Yourself

The year 2008 is winding down and this is the time when many of our clubs elect new, or reelect current, officers for the coming year. I’m going to begin this column by shamelessly plagiarizing an article I recently read about being an association officer: “Filling an officer role does not mean that you are required to do the job alone. Being an officer simply means that you are responsible for ensuring that the job gets done. As an officer, you are allowed to ask other members of the club to help you fulfill your duties.”

How true is that? I’ve been a member of a number of different organizations, and far too often I’ve seen cases of burnout because club officers feel a need to carry the load of running a club or association entirely on their own shoulders.

Sure, there’s a responsibility that goes along with being a club officer, but that responsibility doesn’t include doing all of the work yourself. In fact, over time, many clubs eventually fail because the club officers allow themselves to be put in a position where they had to do all of the work and simply accepted this as the way things were done. In other words, it was easier to do the job yourself than to solicit the help of others. At least that sounded good at the time.

As club members we should accept the fact that we all need to play some part—even if only a small part—to ensure the well-being of our club. That’s what being part of a club is supposed to be all about. At the same, time we recognize that those who have volunteered their time to be club leaders have accepted a greater level of responsibility; however, that responsibility should lean more toward creating an atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation within your club.

As a club officer you also have an opportunity to influence the direction of, and culture within, your club. Your members depend on you, as well as the other elected officers, to help set and meet goals and objectives for your club during your term. How you do that can mean the difference between success and failure, not only for you, but for your club.

In some cases, if things go extremely wrong, it can result in an officer eventually leaving not only the club, but modeling all together, because the pressures of holding a club office have taken the fun out of what was supposed to be an enjoyable activity.

Please keep all of this in mind as we move into the new year. Being a club officer doesn’t mean tackling every project or activity yourself. It doesn’t have to feel like a job. Most often, it can be an enjoyable experience if approached the right way. Enlist your members to do their part in support of your club. Most want to be a part. They just need to be asked.

Since this is the last issue of the AMA Insider for 2008 I want to close this month by wishing everyone a happy holiday season and the best of luck in the coming year.

See you next time. Q