I went to dinner tonight with a member of the band I play in. We had talked about going to a specific restaurant for quite some time, and finally decided to go. She and I have somewhat of a history together, although we didn't officially meet until last year. It turns out, she was my brother's private lesson teacher when he was in high school 10 years ago.
Anyway, we went to dinner, and as always with me, the conversation was all over the place. Which is no big deal, really. We were commenting on the happenings of the band, the people in it, etc. Then, she said that she does not envy my position on the Board of Directors. This is not the first time I've heard this comment, but tonight, it really struck a cord with me and I don't know why.
I don't know if people are finally seeing the dedication and sacrifice I, and the other board members, make for the band or they are finally saying something about it. I don't know if it's something else. I'm glad though that people are recognizing that it is a lot of work, and can be very stressful, but I also hope they see that it is very rewarding too.
Why is it no one wants to touch a board position in this band with a 10 foot pole? Are we that bad? Are we too busy? What's the deal? We have a very hard time trying to find members to join the board. Those that have lately seem not to want to work, but just be able to tell others that they are on the board of a non-profit organization. I have to admit, that was my initial feeling about joining the board. But, I was forced into the limelight very early on, and thankfully my attitude has changed.
All I really want is for people to recognize our hard work and dedication to the band, and for people to be as dedicated as we are, even if they don't serve in a leadership role.
