Manager's Report: A Season of Renewal

By Dawnell Claessen, SIG Manager

The P&P SIG will start 2009 looking for new leadership. You might have seen or heard that 2008 has been an election year in America and we are preparing to inaugurate a new President.

I think that the peaceful transference of power is one of the hallmarks of a functional organization. As an American I find this transference of so much power truly an awesome sight to behold. Observing this process as a technical communicator and documentation specialist, I realize that a good succession plan can mean the difference between surviving and thriving or between success and failure for countries, organizations and even special interest groups like our SIG.

 

Transitioning to new leadership

 

For the last few years Lois Marsh and I have co-managed the P&P SIG and we think this arrangement has worked very well. But both of us also agree that we would like to have some new faces and fresh ideas for our members. So the first step in our succession plan is to look for new leadership candidates to come on board with the P&P SIG.

If you are interested, send an email to mail@dawnell.com or lois.marsh@bmo.com and we will be happy to discuss opportunities with you. Ideally, candidates will be interested in serving as SIG manager or co-manager for a minimum of two years. The "business" aspect of running the SIG is quite easy and can be done in a few hours per month. But the leadership and innovation aspects of running the SIG are where I feel we could really use an infusion of new talent and ideas. For example, I'd like to see the SIG develop some educational materials for our members such as webinars or even podcasts.

Any new SIG leaders will have as much or as little support as they need or want. STC has dedicated significant resources to providing support for SIGs and SIG leaders. There is a growing body of knowledge, experience and wisdom available for reference.

Lois and I will also be around to advise and help a new leader "spin up" into position. Raymond Urgo who founded P&P SIG and served as SIG manager for many years still serves the SIG as a valuable resource and sounding board.

 

SIG leadership has some terrific benefits

 

There are a lot of reasons to consider becoming a SIG leader. For one thing, managing the affairs of a large group (± 750 members) on a limited budget is an adventure. It also provides excellent professional management and leadership experience. This certainly looks good on your résumé.

SIG leadership is also an excellent way to gain recognition and advance in the STC organization. And last but not least, SIG leaders may qualify for subsidies to attend the annual STC conference.

SO! Please consider volunteering to manage the P&P SIG - or co-manage, if you prefer. Lois and I will be here to develop a succession and transition plan to set you and the SIG up for success!