COMMON Article

Volunteers: The Lifeblood of COMMON

by Anne Lucas

When I attended my first COMMON conference 26 years ago, I volunteered to introduce a speaker who was presenting a session on the System/34 and MAPICS. (That definitely dates me!!) That first conference “hooked” me on COMMON as an IT professional and as a COMMON volunteer.

Volunteers have kept COMMON focused on providing the best in training, education and networking. Volunteers come in all sizes and shapes, with a variety of backgrounds and expertise. The one thing that is consistent among COMMON volunteers is their passion for the organization and their consistent passion for this product called AS/400, or iSeries and now the System i.

When asked why he became a COMMON volunteer, Dr Jim Chambers told us the following:

These are the three questions I asked before making my decision:

1. Is the COMMON Staff capable enough to manage and grow an efficient volunteer organization?
   

   Having spent years helping build not-for-profits and NGOs, I recognize the necessity of having full-time staff to manage the day-to-day operations within this type of organization. Although it may seem like they are an unnecessary expense, it is very rare that an organization like COMMON could find enough full-time volunteers who all live in the same place to manage such a large operation.

   In my case, I would not have volunteered if a dedicated and capable full-time staff were not in place.

2. Who are the people in charge, and are they committed to the long-term vision?
   

   While there are certainly differences of opinion among the people I have worked with thus far, there is an overarching commitment to the vision, mission, and values that make COMMON great. One of the things that attracted me most too COMMON was the fact that so many of the staff and team members have been involved for such a long period of time.

   During my decision process, I asked four people to explain why they have spent so much time working and volunteering for COMMON; two staff and two volunteers. The responses were overwhelming as each person shared personal stories and experiences of how COMMON has changed their lives for the better. It was clear that the value they received from being a part of the group far outweighed the sacrifices made to participate year-after-year.

3. Is the vision and challenge important enough to merit my time and attention?
   

   First, is the vision something that I truly believe in and can commit to over time? And second, are the challenges large enough to merit time and attention away from my family, church, and work?

   In my view, COMMON is significant to the IT community, and the reorganization by the Board will enable the fulfillment of the vision in a much more effective way going forward. I also believe that the challenges and problems required for implementation will require committed and visionary leadership at every level.

   After spending time reviewing the entire picture, I made a personal decision to become a COMMON Volunteer. So far, I have not been disappointed.

COMMON’s new Leadership & Advocacy team is focusing its efforts to recruit, motivate, appreciate, and retain COMMON volunteers at every level of the organization while keeping our volunteer infrastructure energized and invigorated. Our goals are to:

• Create and maintain a “sought after” volunteer environment
• Provide the infrastructure and resources volunteers need to be successful
• Continuously encourage and recognize the investment of volunteers in every area of COMMON

I challenge you to take time to be a COMMON volunteer! We need you! Feel free to contact me to discuss where you can become involved at alucas@teamggi.com or 205-823-4831.

May 2007 • Issue 21

This month in COMMON Connector

COMMON Article:
Volunteers: The Lifeblood of COMMON

COMMON Announcement :
Candidates Selected for 2007 COMMON Board Election

COMMON Announcement:
IBM and COMMON Honor System i Clients at Third Annual Innovation Awards

COMMON Benefits :
What's the status of your COMMON membership?

Help/Systems

Business Computer Design (BCD)

Task Performance Group

Vision Solutions

COMMON Benefits

What's the status of your COMMON membership?

Make sure that you, your company, or your Local User Group has renewed your COMMON membership for 2007. If you haven't, then you are in danger of losing access to the benefits offered to you exclusively through COMMON membership:

• COMMON's Annual Conference & Expo, the premier System i education and networking event
• COMMON Focus, a three-day workshop conference of intensive education
• One-day Seminars on leading-edge topics, held in partnership with Local User Groups throughout North America
• Web-based Education, including Webcasts and Webinars
• A leadership voice to IBM and the IT industry
• Networking and membership directory of all COMMON members
• COMMON.CONNECT, the bi-monthly professional journal of COMMON
• COMMON Connector, the monthly e-newsletter from COMMON
• IBM Certification discounts
• COMMON Online Networking community through iSociety
• COMMON Career Center, the exclusive System i job board for employers and candidates

COMMON Calendar

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COMMON – A Users Group
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