How do you feel about Change?

Are you one of those people that say I don’t mind change as long as I have control of what that change will be? Or maybe you don’t say that, but you might be thinking it, right? Associations are changing faster now than ever. Let’s face it; we have to if we want to remain relevant in today’s world. So let me ask you, are you a positive force in your association, are you willing to support new initiatives even if sometimes they fail or offer an alternate view rather than your own? Or are you one of the, “I told you so members, the nay Sayers?” Which do you want to be? Sometimes it is simply a mindset that we need to be aware of to open our minds to new possibilities, new opportunities and new developments.

Decisions sometimes have to be made quickly and we all try to make the best and fairest decisions possible. Sometimes we get it right and sometimes we wish we could get a do over. Do you support and encourage your leaders at all levels even when you don’t agree 100% of the time? Do you allow them room to grow and change as needed, understanding failures? To grow we must be willing to try new things, to reach new markets, find new ways; we even must be willing to potentially fail to grow. Because if we aren’t willing to change along with the world around us, and position ourselves to be relevant in our marketplaces, then the alternative is that we become irrelevant and obsolete.

Sometimes we have to be willing to give up control, the control of how things change. It can be scary I know, but we have to trust and support the leaders we elected. We have to also realize that to succeed there will be failures as well. Be a motivator even in failures, look at the positive side of issues, help with the adjustments needed, and move on. We all have a voice and we should share our thoughts, our concerns, our comments, even our ideas. However, remember the audience in which you share those comments, and give your leadership as well as members with new and different ideas the respect they deserve. Don’t be a squasher; instead be a motivator. If you feel compelled to share the down side to an idea or opportunity, then make sure you are looking for the upside and sharing that as well. Open your mind to possibilities you might not understand and be willing to try.

We want to engage NALS members as well as potential members in vital conversations about what they want from membership in NALS. What do you want the future of NALS to look like; do you have ideas, thoughts, or goals? We want to be responsive to new ideas and new ways of doing things. You are important to us, relationships are important to us, and your thoughts and comments are important to us as well. So please, as you see questions posted throughout the year ahead, take the time to respond. And if you have something to say, you don’t have to wait for the question. Let us know, we want to hear from you. This blog should be interactive, engage, and let us hear from you.

The September Certification Challenge

Don’t you just love September? The scent in the air changes, the temperatures lower, the lazy days of Summer are over, and the children are standing on the corners waiting for the school bus. The smell of new binders and folders and pencils and backpacks is intoxicating (and not because it simply means our children are back at school). And because of this, it is only natural that we, too, consider our own education.

It was September 1994 when I began studying for the March 1995 PLS exam. It seemed, somehow, a perfect time to do so. While my boys were studying Math, English, and Social Studies, I was pouring over Wills and Estates, Bankruptcy, and Criminal law. While I quizzed my boys on spelling and grammar, I was reinforcing those same rules for myself. While I was studying night and day for the exam, my boys were seeing how hard Mommy worked to pass a test. I hung up my boys’ test papers on my refrigerator, so you better believe that when the letter came with the initials “PLS” after my name – I put that on the refrigerator too!

I hope my boys understood that anything worthwhile in this world was worth working long and hard to achieve. I know you believe it too.

Looking for a short-term challenge for yourself this September?? Now is a great time to accept the challenge to become certified. Get the books, form a study group, use the Online Study Group and the NALS mock exams, and prepare for the certification exams. Think Big! and earn the certification distinction that will set you apart from the rest.

Perhaps next Spring the refrigerator will hold YOUR letter from NALS congratulating you on passing the PP, PLS, or ALS certification examination!

Patricia E. Infanti, PP, PLS
2009-2010 NALS President-Elect