Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Leadership

So it's looking like I might end up being the lead organizer for a potentially large conference. Apparently I get fed up with people saying we need to plan how we're going to plan rather than actually stepping up and planning! Since no one else seems to be willing to push things forward it's looking like it'll default to me. There will be a planning committee, but I might end up being the lead. Thankfully there have been other conferences, so there are materials in place to help the process. And delegation is a wonderful thing I've been told. It's strange though because I've never thought of myself as much of a leader. I've never had opportunities placed in front of me to provide me with leadership experience and I've never sought them out. So when one of the organization heads wrote that I was talking like a leader, that just felt strange. And really good.

In all honesty though, the timing of this is pretty awful. I'm not sure I have the time to organize a big conference right now. I've got a new baby to take care of and the conference would be in October, so the month before I'll be dealing with a child transitioning to Kindergarten. Not to mention the fact that I currently have yet to figure out how to get in daily practicing (sometimes it happens, sometimes not) or exercising (never happens, except for walking Gareth to school). Oh, and that our house hasn't been cleaned since family left and isn't likely to be anytime soon and all the work in the garden I'm not getting done and the sewing projects I've taken on but not accomplished. Right now we're lucky if there's food to eat, clean clothes, and bills getting paid. So, you see, it's a horrible time for me to be in charge of something like this. Rationally, I know I should decline to do it. It's just I can't help but think how awesome it could be to have accomplished putting together something like this.

2 comments:

Susan said...

Now I'm curious - what's the conference? Good luck if you decide to do it or not. Either way you've got a lot on your plate! :)

Erin said...

It's a Mormon Stories conference http://mormonstories.org/. You've likely heard of John Dehlin or Joanna Brooks in recent months. John started the podcast and I think Joanna is involved with running the OpenStories Foundation. Anyway, there are regional support communities all over and they've been holding conferences over the past year. This one would likely draw people from much of Washington and Portland, perhaps even some Vancouver BC people. So there's a lot to set up: venue, sound, accommodations for out-of-town speakers, etc.