Embedded Files
Benefits to having bylaws:
The process of establishing them is a great tool for helping your Brown club define itself and its goals.
Bylaws provide a more hospitable structure for volunteering. If your volunteers have term limits, they will willingly serve for the two or sometimes more years of their term.
Volunteer leadership opportunities should be open to all, which isn’t possible without the orderly transition that term limits provide. If there are no term limits, the result is likely to be harmful to the club, because alumni will either be reluctant to volunteer in the first place or will burn out by serving for too long.
Please send a copy of your bylaws to alumni_clubs@brown.edu.
SUCCESSION
To lead is awesome. To abdicate, divine.
Is this scenario familiar?
Things are humming along smoothly with your club. You’ve kept your eye out for your replacement—because you want to follow your club’s bylaws and avoid the dreaded “leader burn-out”—and now you’ve found him/ her. Then someone objects: “You are doing such a good job. We just think you should continue.” Suddenly, you’re second guessing yourself. “I really am doing a good job. I think that I’d like to finish up a couple of things before I give up this work.”
Go while they still want you to stay
…is the cardinal rule of dinner parties and club leadership. Believe the hype—you are a good leader! But that just makes a stronger case for you to step down. Part of your responsibility is to cultivate a new set of club leaders, and then to make a clear, smooth transition.
Laying the groundwork
Many organizations set a limit on the number of years its leaders can serve, which makes it clear to everyone when a new leader is needed. The BAA sets a good example by electing a President-elect who can learn the ropes and then automatically take over fully prepared. It’s healthy if your role as immediate past chair/president is somehow recognized, perhaps with continuing membership for one year as President Emeritus or Chairperson Emeritus on the club’s board of directors.
New challenges await!
Give the new club president some space as they pick up where you left off. Instead, seek new leadership opportunities within the BAA’s ranks by voicing your desire with other volunteer leaders or by contacting BAA staff. The BAA is hungry for the vision of experienced volunteer leaders like you!
Report abuse