RTI LEGAC Y | Being a good cso
BEING A GOOD CSO
W
By Mr PAUL DIPPENAAR, Round Table International CSO
HEN I FIRST RECEIVED this topic,
John Maxwell once said:” The pessimist complains
I thought it would seem very
about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The
arrogant to write about such
leader adjusts the sails.” We are all about this when we
a topic when you are currently
adopt, adapt, and improve.
holding the office. The opposite of arrogance is humility, which
After looking and comparing leadership against being a good CSO, I thought it wise to list some TIPS on
would be one of the biggest traits a great CSO should
how to be a good CSO. They are in no particular order,
have. I decided to still write the article but in general
as I believe they are all critical.
and not necessarily reflect on myself.
LEARN W H AT TA B L E R S WA N T As a CSO, you may think you have it all figured out. But do you? Are you really in touch with your members, and do you know what they want? Also, understand how much participation they want and if a project is by choice or prescriptive. From my experience, members will participate if they see the need for it but prescribing it hardly ever succeeds.
NOT ABOUT THE RECOGNITION As a CSO, your role is to serve and create a platform where we, as Tablers, can impact our communities. Serve wholeheartedly; the difference being made is more than a sufficient reward for your efforts. '
CONSIDER TA B L E R ’ S B AC KG RO U N D S As a CSO, it is important to have a clear knowledge of the backgrounds and demographics of the different Associations. Remember that not all Associations focus on the same projects or pillars. A valid question is: “Do we offer enough, and do we offer at least one project each member can participate in?”. Making it easy for others to buy into and participate is vital.
E VA LUAT E PRO J E C T S FOR REACH AND SUCCESS As a CSO, it is paramount to evaluate every project once completed. Try to measure its impact and the number of lives touched. Accept feedback, comments, and even criticism from others and see it as an opportunity to grow and build projects.
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