OK, you are probably getting tired of being asked to participate in so many things—from groups at work, church committees, service clubs, marketing surveys, phone surveys, your association’s peer groups, committees and task forces, school boards, PTA, neighborhood clubs, online communities—the list goes on and on...

Now, I’d like you to consider at least some of the benefits of participating as you try to prioritize where to spend your time:

• Participating can improve your leadership skills – either through observing others or by being in a leadership position yourself, you can generally improve your skills as a leader – and those skills can be transferable to many aspects of your life, both personally and professionally. I have witnessed many people grow their leadership skills through volunteerism.
• Participating gives you an opportunity to learn things. The more groups you are in, the more information you are exposed to and can learn from. Thinking particularly about peer networks, you can often find solutions to issues you have been struggling with.
• Participating can improve your networks. The more groups you are exposed to, the greater your chance of finding others who share your passion (no matter what that is). Through these networks, you can sustain and increase your own passion(s).
• Participating can give you access to important information. Many surveys (like the current Compensation Survey) give you free results or results at a reduced fee because of your participation. Those results can let you know how you or your organization is doing in relation to your peers.
• Participating helps others. In the not-for-profit world, we rely heavily on volunteerism for our respective missions. Think about the millions of people helped by not-for-profit organizations who would basically cease to exist were it not for people participating in their cause.
• Participating gives you a different perspective. Through my rotary club, I deliver Meals on Wheels once a month. While it only takes an hour a month, it gives me a better perspective of the struggles that aging services and housing organizations, and particularly their residents, face. It provides motivation for the work we do as an association.
• Participating can ultimately improve your success. Isolation gets you nowhere. Think about anyone who is successful – if they did it without help from others and participating in groups, they are a rare breed.

Of course, these thoughts preface our need as an association for members to participate. Our peer groups, committees, and task forces are in continual need of more members to join and be active participants. Our new association management system even gives peers a great opportunity to interact online.

Outside of peer-based groups, we also occasionally have surveys (like the current Compensation Survey) that require member participation in order to give you and others access to valuable information.

So, before you dismiss an invitation to participate, think about how it will positively affect you and your organization. While these voluntary activities may take time away from your day-to-day work activities (albeit a relatively small amount of time), ultimately your involvement in LeadingAge Texas will help you in your efforts of assisting those your organization works to serve.

Wishing you much success!
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George Linial, CAE, CASP
President & CEO, LeadingAge Texas