Progress report.In baseball terms, this column has now reached third, and we're ready to go for home. We have chatted about a lot of things during the first three-quarters of the year, but it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a to start looking at what is on deck for the end of this term. To do that, we need to look inward to assess the year and see if we might need to put a pinch hitter pinch-hit intr.v. pinch-hit, pinch-hit·ting, pinch-hits 1. Baseball To bat in place of a player scheduled to bat, especially when a hit is badly needed. 2. in to make a mark for this season. The first question that needs to be raised is What are we doing right? How have these messages and the activities over the past nine months affected you, the profession, and NEHA NEHA National Environmental Health Association NEHA National Executive Housekeepers Association NEHA Northern Estates Homeowners Association (Indianapolis, Indiana) in a positive manner? I have attempted to raise awareness about particular issues without necessarily providing a single answer. Each of us needs to find our own route and path to get to the final destination and advance our profession. Any of my readers who have managed or been president or chair of an organization will know that it is nearly impossible to accomplish all that you would wish. The presidency of NEHA is no different. As I consider the final quarter of this term, I feel confident and pleased that so many of the goals I set out in that first, July 2005 column have actually been or nearly been reached. Furthermore, we have been able to accomplish some unforeseen things within the organization that will benefit NEHA for some time to come. I have to comment that this is all being accomplished not by me alone, but with board cooperation and also because of a bit of succession planning Management Succession Planning In organizational development, succession planning is the process of identifying and preparing suitable employees through mentoring, training and job rotation, to replace key players — such as the chief executive officer (CEO) — among the current presidential chairs. By considering what is best for NEHA and getting concurrence CONCURRENCE, French law. The equality of rights, or privilege which several persons-have over the same thing; as, for example, the right which two judgment creditors, Whose judgments were rendered at the same time, have to be paid out of the proceeds of real estate bound by them. Dict. de Jur. h.t. from all the chairs, we ensure that programs that are benefiting NEHA can and will continue. While I have been able to get to several state affiliate meetings, I wish there had been more time. Among the affiliates I have visited so far, a lot of great people are doing a lot of great things within the profession. In every conference that I have addressed so far I have come away with at least one new idea or issue to explore. The problem is that I have this other full time job that pays the rent, so I haven't been able to make it to all the affiliates that have wanted me at their meetings. Perhaps one day the technology will be such that a face-to-face question-and-answer period will be possible at least electronically. That technology, however, could never substitute for the gracious gra·cious adj. 1. Characterized by kindness and warm courtesy. 2. Characterized by tact and propriety: responded to the insult with gracious humor. 3. hospitality that has been shown by NEHA members all over this country. The other regret that I have had is that there wasn't more time to develop position papers on a number of topics. The board and the president are overloaded o·ver·load tr.v. o·ver·load·ed, o·ver·load·ing, o·ver·loads To load too heavily. n. An excessive load. Adj. 1. with the details that evolve out of an ever growing and increasingly complex organization (NEHA). In fact it may be in the best interest of NEHA to have members contact the president if there is an issue that it would be beneficial to take a national position on. The member who makes such a suggestion could then help develop the position paper that would be taken though the board. Without this kind of help from the general membership, we are likely to find ourselves stagnating on key issues facing our profession. Worse yet, we will not be a credible source of current information. I fear that we are placing too much responsibility on 15 members (the board) who also have other jobs. NEHA continues to be a voluntary (meaning to volunteer) organization. And after all, the president and the board of directors don't have all the good ideas. As we head down the home stretch, let's redouble re·dou·ble v. re·dou·bled, re·dou·bling, re·dou·bles v.tr. 1. To double. 2. To repeat. 3. Games To double the doubling bid of (an opponent) in bridge. v. our efforts to achieve a little bit extra before we get to San Antonio San Antonio (săn ăntō`nēō, əntōn`), city (1990 pop. 935,933), seat of Bexar co., S central Tex., at the source of the San Antonio River; inc. 1837. . While a lot has been accomplished, I hope to crowd as much as possible into this year to give my successors a leg up on their objectives. As I wrote early on, let's reach for the sky with no limits. "The past is history. Make the present good, and the past will take care of itself," as Knute Rockne Knute (pronounced "kah-noot") ("noot" is the anglicized nickname) Kenneth Rockne (March 4, 1888 – March 31, 1931) was an American football player and is regarded by many as the greatest coach in college football history. told his team. I believe Thomas Edison said a similar thing in a different, even better way: "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." Ron Grimes Grimes is a surname, that is believed to be of a Scandinavian decent and may refer to
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion