Being a leader, especially an elected leader in all volunteer organization can be quite trying and exasperating at times. You have to motivate, encourage and pleased quite a lot. Ordering people to do something is frowned upon and will often bring you censure from those in positions above you. You are asked to keep pushing, keep asking people to strive to accomplishing all that is expected of them. You only are allowed to accept a lesser effort when time runs out. You are then expected to smile, urge and plead again as the next project comes up that you must be all in for and that you ask everyone else to be all in for!
It is easy to say " Enough", " I'm not willing to try anymore" and to berate those who are " lazy, stubborn, uncooperative and "just NOT dedicated and committed ENOUGH" to the organization! Those who do stop and renounce their pledge / promise to lead and to serve, as I am learning, become what Thomas Paine once described as " The Summertime Soldier and the Sunshine Patriot". Those who only serve happily and pleasantly when ALL is going splendidly and easily.
Years ago, A Friend of mine who spent most of his life serving in the same organization as I am now, He died, horribly, of cancer. Even with his death drawing nigh, He still spoke of his desire to keep serving, doing anything that need to be done to serve the members of this organization.
I guess that to serve well and effectively it is a matter of focusing more on what you are committed to do and what you able and WILLING to do rather than what others do or do not do. How much does seeing others suceed bless you? How much does being honestly committed to investing in others mean to you? Anyone who believes that those values are vital and lives a life that proves that he or she believes in them will never be in the ranks of "The Summer Time Soldier" or "The Sunshine Patriot"!
- Johnny -
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