“Every September there is a new board so I’m just about to finish my board year. I’d been studying for three years and it’s been going quite well, but I wanted an extra challenge. I’ve always been involved in committees, and I really like the idea of organising something, working together with people, and the social interaction.
I decided to take the role of chairman because I thought I would learn a lot in the process. When you start you’re just surviving and then later you realise what you are actually capable of. There’s a whole learning process you go through which is amazing.
First of all, I know it sounds like a cliché, but the team is bigger than you alone. When I was a teenager I thought a chairman was like a commander, but of course that’s not the case. It’s really being part of a team and trying to create a safe working environment in which the whole team can flourish and where everyone can speak their minds.
I’ve also learned a lot about how you see yourself in a group and what effect you have on others and vice versa. On the board I’m working with six other highly intelligent, beautiful people for a lot of hours each week. You really need to cope with different characters and that can be challenging.
In these aspects, I have really gotten to know myself better. For me, a board year is not necessarily a success if everything was happy and nice. If you can admire the moments that it doesn’t go so well, that’s when you learn the most.”
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Heather Montague / Freelance writer
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