President’s Message

Consider Leadership

By Capt. John Broers, South Dakota Highway Patrol, CVSA President

A couple of years ago, I started telling my now 7-year-old nephew “dad jokes.” Mostly, these were over the phone or occasional video chat. When the jokes worked — when he got the reference and my timing was on — the laughs and giggles that came from him were contagious. Occasionally, he’d roll his eyes, as only a 7-year-old can, with sheer contempt at how silly he thought some of the jokes were. However, a few of my favorite dad jokes received little to no reaction. They would flow from me with what I thought was perfect execution, followed by eager anticipation of the infectious laugh that I thought was sure to follow but never came. I would repeat the punchline, thinking he just didn’t hear it. He sometimes spared none of my feelings with his thoughts on a particular joke; other times, he quickly changed the subject to his favorite superhero.

The lesson? The right dad joke works for the right audience at the right time. The same goes for our organization. The experience that members of the Alliance bring to the organization varies widely. The veterans experienced the beginning of the Alliance and where we came from. They know the “why,” the “when” and the “what for.” Some of us remember removing worn horseshoes and a broken cinch from the out-of-service criteria. Our newest members may lack some of the historical perspective, but are eager, willing and excited for modernization. Some are curious as to why we aren’t inspecting trucks virtually yet. We are all looking forward to the future and what it will bring.

To reach that future successfully, the Alliance needs participation from our next generation of leaders within our membership. Whether your experience is with wagons or the latest technology, the Alliance needs you to move us forward. Our newest members rely on the experience and knowledge of veteran members. In turn, those veterans are invigorated by the ambition and enthusiasm of our newest members. The balance of perspectives is what makes our organization flourish. It’s the dad joke that everyone gets; it just works.

So, whether the next conference is your first or your 50th, please consider one of the Alliance’s many leadership opportunities. Encourage your coworkers to consider it, too. All it takes is the desire to be part of CVSA’s future. We need all kinds of perspectives. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, our priorities and specialties. You don’t need to have an agenda, prior leadership experience or endorsements from a superhero. We simply need you and your desire to be part of what comes next for the Alliance. You can start small, in a program, committee or your region.

Leaving your mark on the future of commercial motor vehicle safety is a legacy worth pursuing. The road to zero highway fatalities needs people like you to build it. We need a variety of people working on the project, bringing together our specialties, experience, new ideas and fortitude to make it happen. We need you. It’s the right time. n