There are several benefits to being an OWA member. Networking with other women and men at our events, having access to the OWA member directory to make connections, One Minute Mentor inspiration and advice, the subscription to Fast Company and the annual book selection are just a few that come to mind.
But there is another benefit of membership that often flies under the radar unnoticed and that's volunteering. How can giving of your time to the OWA help YOU? In a recent blog post by Elisa Webb Hill, called, Volunteer Your Way to the Top, Ms. Webb Hill outlines three important skills that can be developed by volunteering. Her points resonate with the very core reasons of why the OWA was formed in the first place: to provide a framework for the development of the leadership role of women in the optical industry. Below I've paraphrased her three points and added thoughts on how these skills relate to your organization and the benefits you can reap from actively volunteering on an OWA committee.
Leadership can be a Catch 22 . . . companies that want to hire a manager or vice president want to see that you've managed people before, but how do you do that if you are not given that first opportunity? Answer . . . volunteer for leadership positions. This is the ideal way to get that valuable experience, gather letters of recommendation from the people you are volunteering with, and break the Catch 22.
While networking and teambuilding comes natural to some, for others it's a struggle. Building and leading a team at work might be a daunting task with dire consequences for poor performance. Why not get your feet wet by taking on a teambuilding task as a volunteer, either for an organization such as the OWA or even seek out volunteer opportunities within your own company. Once your peers or boss see how well you did, it's only a matter of time before you are stepping up to bigger and grander opportunities that can lead to career advancement.
Being able to work well with others is always a great skill to have. It's one of those things you hear people say in interviews, "I work well with other" or "I'm a team player" or "I'm a people person." Because everyone says it, just saying you're a team player doesn't mean anything anymore. You need to show it. "Collaboration is an incubator for great ideas and volunteering offers you the opportunity to bring these ideas to life," said Webb Hill.
Volunteering provides leadership opportunities within your own organization and within organizations like the OWA, where you will be working with your peers. When your boss is at the next OWA networking event and sees you making announcements, organizing the event, welcoming new members, she or he might see you in a different light, opening new doors of opportunity for your career.
Editor's Note: See the "What's Your Passion" article in this issue for a great example of an OWA member's volunteering efforts.
Back to: June 2014 : June 2014 Newsletter