Within the next few weeks, you’ll be receiving an invitation from NACM and, possibly, ICEL to serve on a committee. The invitation may feel generic. It may feel like it’s been sent to you among the many.
The irony is that it is generic…if ignored.
If the invitation to give back to our association is heeded, it could have the ability to literally change your life!
That possibility may seem dramatic, but it is based in fact. I had an amazing job opportunity offered to me thanks to a fellow committee member who knew me and knew I would be a great fit for the position and company. Her recommendation caught the attention of management and, ultimately, I received a job offer.
I have made friendships with fellow committee members who continue to bless my life…all thanks to serving together on an NACM committee.
There is a real power in networking – in working together for a common cause to help others in our association. Sharing a common goal to help fellow credit professionals in our association will not only benefit our members, but it also benefits those who willingly make time to help. You will “rub elbows” with fellow committee members and get to know them, their interests and their expertise. A shared experience has the potential to build bonds that will last.
Yes, all of this promise by simply indicating a willingness to serve on a committee with our association. Quite candidly, service does not require an extraordinary expenditure of time. Many committees meet virtually, some may meet in person, but the amount of time is, honestly, minimal – often times just once or twice a year for an hour. Yet, it is literally an investment in time that holds the promise of not only helping others but, in turn, improving your life for the better.
Please, do not disregard the invitation to serve on a committee. It is an opportunity that holds the promise of benefiting our association while also helping you, as an individual and as a credit professional, to excel through the shared experience of service.
by Shane Inglesby, CCE, Geneva Rock Products