PASS Elections Call to Action
It’s election season and by that I’m referring to voting for the PASS Board of Directors. There are three open seats and six candidates for 2016 who will be serving two year terms should they be elected.
I can’t tell you how to vote but what I can say is read up on the candidates. Listen to their recorded candidate platform talks. Read their applications. Look at their history of running businesses, leading consulting engagements, and directing projects and personnel. Those experiences are ultimately more important than how good of a technical professional they are or how popular or nice they may be. Directing an association of technical professionals is not a popularity contest. It’s a job, though a volunteer one at that.
Speaking from someone who has now served on the Board of Directors for PASS for almost three years I’ll assert that business acumen, vision for PASS, global scope for decisions, and community involvement are the foundations for making a good Director.
The ability to reach consensuses, placing the association’s best interests ahead of personal agendas, maturity, and listening to all sides of an issue are those soft skills that will make an excellent Director.
When you do your research keep all these in mind then vote your conscious before voting closes on October 11, 2016. Your participation will set the course for the direction of PASS. When you cast your vote you may be electing individuals who will go on to serve on the executive board and perhaps helm the association as President. Those positions are voted upon by the members of the Board and not the full membership so this is your opportunity to say who you want leading PASS in the future. Make sure you feel they’ve the skills, vision, and the free time to do so before casting your vote. Personally I chose not to run for the board until I knew my family life and professional career would be in a state where I could devote 10-20 hours (or more) when I’d be eligible to serve on the Executive Board and as President should that possibility occur some day.
While the slate is set for the 2016 election, if you’re interested in serving on the Board of Directors in the future or in volunteering for PASS please reach out to me at the PASS Summit. If you’ve not yet registered email me and I can share a special Friends & Family discount with you that will save you $1100 off the current rate for registration. That’s right: attend Summit for $1295 if you reach out to me!