“Volunteers generally want to help when they are told they are needed. It starts with the ask. Adults don’t need to be taught, just reminded.”-Laurie Guest
In Chicago this past week at the Leaders Connecting with Leaders conference for AADE, I was “reminded” about the importance of volunteer organizations. The presentations about Reinventing Yourself as a Volunteer Leader, Growing Young Professionals, What’s in the Wind at the State and Federal Level, and Blogging Like a Pro were the most beneficial to me. I was “reminded” that it’s important to ask volunteers for specific, short commitments, to follow up with volunteers, to thank them (often) for their work and dedication. I was “reminded” that young professionals are willing to volunteer for things with a cause and in organizations that they possess skills and are interested in learning more about to aid in their early careers. I was “reminded” that legislation on licensure instead of only certification in diabetes education is an important topic to freshen up on and possibly learn more about and become involved on the state level.
Part of Laurie Guest’s first presentation helped me “remember” that as the Coordinating Body, we are to help incentivize change, engage in the why, and allow teams (like LNGs) to find their own ways to improve process/outreach. She encouraged team and personal retreats annually (at minimum) to help teams find what they see as their vision and allow them to socialize with one another by talking, listening and learning. For personal retreats, she discussed the importance of an “intentional time out” to reflect and relax.
There were MANY other excellent points explored during this conference. The presentations are available on My AADE Network. I would highly recommend reviewing them here http://www.myaadenetwork.org/aadelead15 and asking questions if you have anyf. We are looking for leaders at the local and state levels. Some of you may have a little time to give and others may have more time, but we want you to know that we need you to make a difference in the state of Georgia! Contact us to find out more about how you can get involved.
Bethany Kinsey Jagdharry, RN, BSN, CDE
Jagdhbe1@memorialhealth.com