Note from the ACDIS Editor: What if it goes wrong, but what if it goes right?
by Carolyn Riel
I once heard a quote that went something along the lines of, “Sure, what if everything goes wrong? But what if everything goes right? What if everything turns out better than you could have ever imagined?”
I think about that quote a lot. As someone who is often scared to take risks, an overanalyzer who thinks of every possible outcome, all the worst-case scenarios, I sometimes let myself be scared away from trying new things. I become fearful of putting myself out there, sharing my thoughts and ideas, going out on a limb.
This quote really resonates with me—and by resonates, I mean flicks me on the forehead with clarity and says “open up your eyes!”
I think we so often tend to think “what if” in a negative light, as a warning, convincing ourselves all the things that could go wrong will happen. What if I say an idea and people think it’s dumb, or tell me they’ve already tried and it failed? What if I put myself out there and don’t get selected for a position? Maybe it all goes back to being picked last for dodgeball in elementary school… back then not many kids wanted an uncoordinated, tall, gangly seven-year-old on their team.
I still frequently feel like that gangly girl on the inside. But still.
Maybe we don’t think enough about all the things that could go right. Sure, what if it goes wrong? You get rejected, your idea gets turned down. So what? But what if you try, and things turn out better than you hoped? What if you get selected for that position, get that promotion, what if you actually get what you want?
The only way to know is to take the plunge and do it.
One of the best parts of my job is talking to so many unique people. I get to see their personalities shine through, personalities and ideas that would serve well on many of our boards and committees. Yet, I hear a very similar cautious thinking when I ask folks about their thoughts on volunteering.
“Have you thought about applying for one?” I’ll ask. More times than not, the response I get is something along the lines of, “Well, I’ve thought about it, but I’m just not sure I’d get selected.”
Even current committee members had similar hesitation when they applied, telling me about feeling intimidated. When I ask if they feel they’ve gotten in over their heads, if their hesitations were correct, they almost always answer no. They love the committee work and not only found it to be rewarding but their service has given them the push and confidence to become even further involved in ACDIS.
I think sometimes people are intimidated to apply for boards and committees because they don’t know ahead of time what they’re really getting into. They don’t know how long of a commitment they’re making or what will be asked of them, and are afraid they won’t find out until after they’re selected. All of that information is located in the statement of work (SOW) for each committee on the Boards and Committees page, but to make it even easier to find, here are the key points you need to know about the boards and committees currently seeking new members through the end of January.
|
|
Certification Committee |
Chapter Advisory Board |
Forms and Tools Committee |
|
Responsibilities |
Write and review certification exam questions (CCDS and CCDS-O) Consider candidate eligibility requirements Contribute to promoting the certification program |
Participate in quarterly conference calls with local chapter leaders Review and contribute to the Leadership Toolkit Answer questions from local chapter leaders |
Evaluate submitted materials for accuracy, compliance, and effectiveness Contribute materials for committee review Provide insight into current industry materials needs |
|
Total members |
20 members |
10 members |
13 members |
|
Term of service |
3 years |
2 years |
1 year |
|
Prerequisites |
Current ACDIS membership Hold at least one ACDIS credential (CCDS or CCDS-O) |
Current ACDIS membership 2 years actively working with a local chapter |
Current ACDIS membership
|
|
Meeting frequency |
As-needed. When the exam needs updating, the committee will meet about monthly. When no updates are needed, meetings will be less frequent |
6 board only calls plus 4 public calls, for a total of 10 calls per year |
First Friday of every other month, for a total of 6 calls per year |
|
Benefits |
Name on the ACDIS website Discounted/complementary access to ACDIS products (at the committee coordinator’s discretion) Complementary renewal of their ACDIS certification during tenure on the committee |
Name on the ACDIS website Discounted/complementary access to ACDIS products (at the committee coordinator’s discretion) Waived ACDIS membership fee |
Name on the ACDIS website Discounted/complementary access to ACDIS products (at the committee coordinator’s discretion) |
So back to my original point: What if it goes wrong, but what if it goes right? You really won’t know unless you try. What’s the worst thing that could happen if you apply for a committee and don’t get selected? You’ve taken 10 minutes of your time to fill out the application and have gotten your name, resume, and thoughts in front of the ACDIS leadership team.
But what if it all goes right? What if you get selected and springboard your name in ACDIS? What if you get selected and get to learn from others across the country? What if you get selected and get to help others working in the field in some small way? You don’t know unless you try.
If you are interested in applying to any of the above boards or committees, the application can be found here. And if you still have additional questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or anyone else on the ACDIS team to ask!
Editor’s Note: Riel is the editor for ACDIS. Contact her at criel@acdis.org.