12/05/2017

The Path Forward

What you can resolve to do in the year ahead

by OSAE Member Tracy Vanneman, Partnerships and Programs Manager, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Another year over, and a new one just begun. Our hopes and dreams, personal and professional, for 2017 are old news and now 2018 is upon us. During this season of gift-giving, wish-making and resolution-announcing, what visions are dancing in your head for a happy and prosperous New Year?

In 2018, may you resolve to…

• Focus. On your association’s mission. On your work role. On how those two converge. Distraction is addicting. The thinner we spread our mission and our role striving to be all things to all people the less we truly serve our members, our teams and ourselves. Resolve to turn off the auto-reply that responds “yes” whenever members or your boss make a request. Give yourself the gift of time to weigh the request against what you know to be true about your organization’s mission or your professional goals. If this isn’t the right pursuit at the right time, have the strength to say “no” in favor of staying focused on delivering value to your members and career satisfaction to yourself.
• Learn. What do you need to know in 2018 to become appreciably better at the job you have, or to prepare for the job you want? Let’s not only take the obvious paths (attend professional development courses, pursue/renew a certification, stay current with industry news) but also get curious. Leave no good mistake un-dissected, acknowledging that your career is an iterative process. Strive to understand the decisions, and their consequences, that have brought you to this point in your professional life. How much more might you learn if you asked the same of your colleagues? Gaining appreciation for what others do, how they work and where they come from can provide the type of education not accessible by book or webinar.
• Believe. Yes, your small staff can compete with much larger peer organizations. Yes, your members will survive that membership model makeover, website overhaul or governance restructuring. Yes, your organization can implement AI solutions to advance your mission – even on a limited budget. Association professionals are nothing if not resourceful, so make 2018 a year of healthy optimism and believe that you can accomplish that which you and your organization set out to do.

As the calendar flips to 2018, go ahead and lose those extra pounds, KonMari your closets or call your mom more often. But don’t forget to make some resolutions for your work life too, and plan to toast yourself this time next year when you’ve kept them!