[ SHOWGSD-L ] Board elections or Bored elections
- From: "David Fritsche" <d_fritsche@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <ELG440@xxxxxxx>, <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 10:17:15 -0700
Years ago, I had a friend. Well, in truth, he had gone to high school with
my father, and we talked a few times. He told me that the first thing he
always had to do was get elected. He said he couldn't do anything for the
public unless he was elected.
His name was Gerald Ford, and he made me realize that in all politics at
all levels, being elected if the first priority.
Evan L. Ginsburg
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Now it ill behooves me to argue with a President, although I have been known
to disagree with a few of them from time to time....
But....
I have always had a feeling that we rely on the structures of power as the
basis for leadership and miss the fact that the best leadership is from
those who influence by doing, not from those who use the elected office to
pronounce. Case in point: Election to the GSDCA Board.
I ran for the board for several reasons, years back, not the least of which
was the insistence from a few people who thought I should be there. I ran, I
was elected and I served. The illusion is that the Board sets around
conniving ways to platform each others agenda and finally find a way to foul
thing up, much like the US Congress. But what I found was endless hours of
listening to committee chairs giving reports and making recommendations. It
occurred to me that the committees had the power, and those who worked on
the committees we the people of influence.
Yes, there were and always will be, some strong minded people on the board,
and they did have their own agenda. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but
for the most part, the power of elected office can be an assumption that is,
to some degree, an illusion. For the most part, it is the successful
breeders, committee participants and chairs who hold the power and influence
the direction of the club.
So, I decided to retire from my position and career many years ago now, and
set out to experiment with the premise that I can lead by influence and
service rather than by position. I take that same view of leadership in our
dog world. Some of the greatest changes made in the GSDCA have started with
a committee meeting, the discussion of a couple of breeders or comments on
this list.
Sorry President Ford, I disagree.... Everyone has the opportunity to lead,
simply by doing what you are passionate about. The little people do rule!
Evan influences everything discussed about our club and dogs because he
'seldom posts' to the list. Ed (flower boy) leads by his humor, offhanded
remarks and pot stirring. Stormy leads by influencing a large group of peers
to be involved in legislative issues. Carolyn leads by sheer logic and sound
minded reason. Everyone can lead by speaking up, doing things that matter
and producing better dogs. If we do, the board will follow - they have to!
<GRIN>
Dave
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