Volunteer and Accelerate your Career

Many years ago, I raised my hand to be a visionary volunteer leader for the National Speakers Association of Michigan. It may be “meta”, but for me, meaningful because that experience set off a chain reaction which continues to impact me. I discovered that becoming an association volunteer was much more valuable to me, than to the NSA Michigan Chapter. I experienced, first-hand, the value of volunteering.

You see, I was sure I didn’t have time to volunteer. I had all of the excuses, three young children and husband, a full-time job and an already busy schedule , it seemed daunting to add another activity into the mix. Yet, I threw caution to the wind and volunteered to assist in creating and executing the vison of the chapter. As I served the on the board, I developed friendships that were not work-related and after several years I moved into leadership and was honored to lead the chapter.

This experience was so valuable to me, and it started me on a journey of looking for opportunities where I could be of service. As one of the founding members of the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP), I had the good fortune to be selected to serve on the Standard Working Group and develop the Standard for Change Management among other volunteer roles. Again, the relationships I’ve developed have enriched my professional career and life immensely.

Currently, I serve as the President of the ACMP Michigan Chapter and am again finding that the relationships, adventures, and opportunities encountered along my volunteer journey are plentiful. Do you feel as I did? That your schedule is full and your ability to attend one more Zoom meeting is questionable? I get it, and still want to encourage you to make a small space to contribute to a cause or organization you care about. Doing so will of course assist the group in attaining their goals. The secret however is that your involvement will enhance your career and enrich your life in ways that you can’t even imagine. 

Consider the opportunity to volunteer as a gift for yourself, you have no idea where your volunteer efforts will take you.