Life As President
A day of restructuring, reassessing and aiming for a better future. After training today, I see the bureaucracy in front of the society. Life as president.
‘I remember Jason (former President of the Geography Society) telling me that being President is a tough job, especially in your third year, but I remember thinking that with enough preparation and a strong team, it might be bearable. I’m starting to eat my words, while I still contest the boat is stable.’
Wearing my outdated QMGS hoodie proudly, I sat in a lecture theatre as months of plans fell apart in front of me.
I, with the help of the committee, made decisions which weren’t possible with the governing structure of our superintendent, the Student’s Union.
It didn’t cause a massive hassle but was the first in a flurry of preoccupations about preparation for the year ahead.
My team is incredibly strong, responsive and alert to changes in the environment they surround themselves in.
I think our preparation has been solid, while these hurdles shook the boat — the procedures in place have already impacted students and will continue to do so across the year.
To be a leader of people I think takes a certain moral compass.
Not always financially or target-driven, but people-driven.
Do you want your team to succeed personally? Do you think their personal success will drive team success?
And ultimately: do you want your team to be happy?
I think the happiness of the team to help the cause is integral to willingness and energy throughout the year.
Every one of my committee members comes up with a new idea every week, pitches it and I ask them to take a lead.
It’s fulfilling to know that I don’t have to hold their hands and they can develop ideas, run with it and whether ending in success or failure — gain from it and learn.
We’re at the start of the new campaign to gain a membership contingent and produce value for our members.
We want to engage them on a level that is incomparable to other experiences in other societies.
For them, mostly geography students, they should see the Geography Society as a comfort zone.
They can experience the rest that the university has to offer, but should feel that we can offer support unparalleled to the agendas of other societies.
We want to push our members to be more independent and forward-thinking, although we want them to engage in the issues around them.
Charity, careers and broadening horizons encapsulate the aims, while capturing a diverse audience and providing social events that match the quality delivered in past years.
It’s essential that each committee member keeps up their end of the bargain, but inevitably I expect that this won’t always be fulfilled.
I think the role of President is important because it should help maintain calm in rough conditions as well be the spokesperson and showboater for the inner society success.
While I have to deal with all the problems, take responsibility for ill-doings, and keep people in order — a lot of the time, these are minor as our preparation is succinct and thorough.
I try to listen to my committee members, they have their own lives — I want to support that.
I need to be as much in their lives as they have to be in mine.
We had one committee member leave because of unexpected circumstances, instead of being angry, I was actually proud of that person for stepping up and being straight with me.
It’s a difficult thing to be vulnerable. I know because I do it everyday that it might seem that I undervalue the difficulty for others.
It’s not the case. I think it’s incredibly difficult to divulge to others, no matter how much you trust them.
I specifically told of my committee members to drop out of the society if it all got too much.
It did for this one person, but I am more than happy to accept the resignation knowing that person grew and developed from that experience.
I think my solo aim for my Presidency is to provide a stepping stone, or more like a trampoline, for the next years’ society to takeover.
I’m not particularly concerned with personal reputation for the work I did, I would want team recognition for our work if that’s the least we get.
I might enable them to be their best, but they did the work.
I will learn a lot from being President. I’m already starting to jump hurdles, with the help of my team.
I’m grateful that they are amazing people, strongly-driven and prepared for the worst.
I’m sure we’ll be successful because we don’t see failure as a bad thing.
Life as President.