Keith Lawrence(BSAC)
22-10-2004, 22:44
Applications will soon be sought for these coveted(?) positions. The applications process will be announced shortly by the Honorary Secretary of the BSAC and during early 2005 a panel consisting of the entire membership of the BSAC will select the successful candidates. Successful candidates will be expected to work for zero pay and expenses that cannot even begin to reflect the value of the expertise that they bring to the club. They should also expect to receive no acknowledgement from the general membership for what they have done, you?re only shouted at when things don?t go quite right.
Successful candidates are likely to have more than one of the following skills ?
+ They must be very thick skinned : Some members are likely to attempt verbal dismemberment over very minor matters.
+ They should be telepathic : A Council member is expect to know exactly what all members are thinking at all times.
+ They should be clairvoyant : A Council member should be able to predict the future with absolute certainty so that decisions that they make can be explained under all circumstances.
+ They should have a sense of humour : there are times when if you can?t laugh about it you will end up crying.
The job description is vague, in fact there isn?t really one but any skills that you can bring to the BSAC will be fully utilised. Ideally you should have a basic understanding of business and finance as you will be a Director of a ?2m+ company and you will be expected to help manage it. You must be diplomatic amongst the membership as the vast majority will not have a clue who you are, what you do, how you do it, why it is needed or why on earth you should want to do it!
The real rewards however are very satisfying personally. You will be working with a great team of people, your fellow Council members, some of whom will be just as confused as you are wondering what the hell they have let themselves in for. You will be welcomed with open arms and with great friendliness. You will also find yourself working with our superb HQ staff whose dedication and commitment to the BSAC goes far beyond their status as employees. You will also come across many dedicated volunteers across the world who help to run the club, they will also help you and hopefully you can help them.
When your term of office is complete and you retire gracefully and/or run screaming to the hills you will be able to look back and say to yourself ?I helped to do that, that made a real difference to the club?. But by then you will fully accept the fact that virtually nobody has noticed what you have done, how you did it or why indeed it was necessary for the club to function. But it will be accepted as being ?part of the BSAC? and your reward is knowing that you helped to make it happen and that you have improved the club.
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Yes, very ?tongue in cheek? I know, but I maintain that it?s a pretty accurate description of what it?s like and of my experiences over the years that I?ve been doing it :-) The ?Situations Vacant? part is of course real, next year will be the major Council elections and once again it is your chance to make a very positive contribution to the club. Could you do it? What?s it REALLY like? Well the whole point of this post and this thread is to help you find out. First of all let me dispel a few myths ?
+ You do =NOT= have to be a 30+ year NI with ?BSAC? written through the middle if you cut them in half. There are some NI?s on Council and their experience and knowledge is very important, but there are also Sports Divers and Dive Leaders (me for example!) who do not have those years of BSAC experience but they do have skills that can help the club. If you can help run the club then you will be VERY welcome and your ?BSAC experience? becomes virtually immaterial.
+ It is =NOT= political. We have far too much to do and far too little time to bother with that type of rubbish! BSAC Council is the least ?political? entity of it?s type that I have ever encountered. The attitude is ?it needs doing, do it!? and all of these myths about major political infighting amongst Council are just that ? MYTHS! (OK, we do have our disagreements at times, but that?s life! Sort it out and then get on with it).
+ It = DOES= take time. If you apply you will get a little sheet detailing how much time it is expected to take (I?m sure it?s on the web site somewhere, if not I?ll post it). Well? errrr? to do this job properly you will need a bit more than that! But it?s flexible, you?re a volunteer and the club has to fit around you. In practice it comes in fits and starts ? you?ll have a few weeks off, and then every evening you?ll spend a couple of hours sorting out BSAC stuff. But you?re part of a team, if you?re having problems due to your real life and job then we help each other out.
Having got that out of the way here?s an invitation to all of our members, especially those who may be considering volunteering to help the club as Council members ? ASK US! There?s quite a few Council members who lurk around these forums (OK, they don?t always say much, but they ARE listening I assure you). If you?ve got a question about Council work then fire away. I?ll try and answer any questions that you may have, I am sure that some of my fellow Council members (or ex ones) wouldn?t mind helping out as well (I hope).
It?s Council elections next year, we NEED people just like you who can help the club, if you want the low down on what it?s like ?on the inside? then now is your chance.
Regards
Keith L
p.s. Will I be standing again? I honestly don?t know, that is one question that I can?t answer for you just now. I?ll let you know when the nominations are published!
Successful candidates are likely to have more than one of the following skills ?
+ They must be very thick skinned : Some members are likely to attempt verbal dismemberment over very minor matters.
+ They should be telepathic : A Council member is expect to know exactly what all members are thinking at all times.
+ They should be clairvoyant : A Council member should be able to predict the future with absolute certainty so that decisions that they make can be explained under all circumstances.
+ They should have a sense of humour : there are times when if you can?t laugh about it you will end up crying.
The job description is vague, in fact there isn?t really one but any skills that you can bring to the BSAC will be fully utilised. Ideally you should have a basic understanding of business and finance as you will be a Director of a ?2m+ company and you will be expected to help manage it. You must be diplomatic amongst the membership as the vast majority will not have a clue who you are, what you do, how you do it, why it is needed or why on earth you should want to do it!
The real rewards however are very satisfying personally. You will be working with a great team of people, your fellow Council members, some of whom will be just as confused as you are wondering what the hell they have let themselves in for. You will be welcomed with open arms and with great friendliness. You will also find yourself working with our superb HQ staff whose dedication and commitment to the BSAC goes far beyond their status as employees. You will also come across many dedicated volunteers across the world who help to run the club, they will also help you and hopefully you can help them.
When your term of office is complete and you retire gracefully and/or run screaming to the hills you will be able to look back and say to yourself ?I helped to do that, that made a real difference to the club?. But by then you will fully accept the fact that virtually nobody has noticed what you have done, how you did it or why indeed it was necessary for the club to function. But it will be accepted as being ?part of the BSAC? and your reward is knowing that you helped to make it happen and that you have improved the club.
==================================
Yes, very ?tongue in cheek? I know, but I maintain that it?s a pretty accurate description of what it?s like and of my experiences over the years that I?ve been doing it :-) The ?Situations Vacant? part is of course real, next year will be the major Council elections and once again it is your chance to make a very positive contribution to the club. Could you do it? What?s it REALLY like? Well the whole point of this post and this thread is to help you find out. First of all let me dispel a few myths ?
+ You do =NOT= have to be a 30+ year NI with ?BSAC? written through the middle if you cut them in half. There are some NI?s on Council and their experience and knowledge is very important, but there are also Sports Divers and Dive Leaders (me for example!) who do not have those years of BSAC experience but they do have skills that can help the club. If you can help run the club then you will be VERY welcome and your ?BSAC experience? becomes virtually immaterial.
+ It is =NOT= political. We have far too much to do and far too little time to bother with that type of rubbish! BSAC Council is the least ?political? entity of it?s type that I have ever encountered. The attitude is ?it needs doing, do it!? and all of these myths about major political infighting amongst Council are just that ? MYTHS! (OK, we do have our disagreements at times, but that?s life! Sort it out and then get on with it).
+ It = DOES= take time. If you apply you will get a little sheet detailing how much time it is expected to take (I?m sure it?s on the web site somewhere, if not I?ll post it). Well? errrr? to do this job properly you will need a bit more than that! But it?s flexible, you?re a volunteer and the club has to fit around you. In practice it comes in fits and starts ? you?ll have a few weeks off, and then every evening you?ll spend a couple of hours sorting out BSAC stuff. But you?re part of a team, if you?re having problems due to your real life and job then we help each other out.
Having got that out of the way here?s an invitation to all of our members, especially those who may be considering volunteering to help the club as Council members ? ASK US! There?s quite a few Council members who lurk around these forums (OK, they don?t always say much, but they ARE listening I assure you). If you?ve got a question about Council work then fire away. I?ll try and answer any questions that you may have, I am sure that some of my fellow Council members (or ex ones) wouldn?t mind helping out as well (I hope).
It?s Council elections next year, we NEED people just like you who can help the club, if you want the low down on what it?s like ?on the inside? then now is your chance.
Regards
Keith L
p.s. Will I be standing again? I honestly don?t know, that is one question that I can?t answer for you just now. I?ll let you know when the nominations are published!