Lesson Learned, Some Tribes Don’t Mix

I have started a second blog to return this one to its original theme and topic. When I started blogging in 2008 it was to provide an avenue to further develop my Personal Branding. While it has proven a challenging task (I’m not a writer, as you can probably tell), it has also been rewarding to receive a little feedback on what I do write. My professional interests revolve around being an architect and wanting to learn how to make my firm more successful. This is led me to increase our in-house learning while also finding more opportunities to represent InterDesign in the AEC industry and our community. I’m active in several professional groups, namely CSI, AIA, and DBIA. Through these groups, I get to hear the issues others in my industry are facing and try to contribute to solutions that benefit all of us. I’m now moving into the office of President for the Indianapolis Chapter, CSI and it will take most of my volunteer time for the next year. In keeping this blog’s theme on my brand, expect to see many more posts on my progress as President and lessons learned along the way.

Separate from my social life of meetings and programs about architecture, I also try to take an active role in my church, the Eastside Church of Christ. The two worlds are not entirely different, but the interest of those who followed this blog was… Through utilizing my blog for a resource to a high school class I began teaching this spring, I’ve driven away all of my followers. I had naively thought by using tags my readers would filter the posts to what interested them. What I didn’t take into account, many followers are like me and subscribe via RSS or using a blog aggregator. I had developed a small tribe, and when their leader began talking consistently about something they were not interested in, they all walked away. I don’t blame them. I follow many blogs because of the topic. When the topic changes, I drop the blog, who has time to read things you aren’t passionate about.

I’ve learned from this and will move forward. If you were someone interested in continuing to follow my study of the wisdom literature from the bible, or find the past blog posts related to the study, just visit my second blog at http://bible-blake.blogspot.com/.

If you’re still with me, I’m glad to have you reading. As always, let me know what you think. I don’t filter the comments posted to my blog (unless I have to remove advertisements or something obscene), so feel free to share your opinions with my readers as well.

CSI Officer and Chairmen Form

At the end of April, CSI Institute requires a form to be submitted listing all of the chapter officers, directors, and chairmen of the standing committees recognized by Institute. In preparation for this, in March, the chapter held the annual election for the Board of Directors to fill seats opening at the end of the fiscal year. As President-Elect and according to a tradition of the chapter, I was chairman of the nominating committee. This is the first time I had participated in a nominating committee, let alone chaired the group. To form the committee, I pulled in our Vice President, whom I was sure would become President-Elect for next year so he can get a little exposure to the process (this is now the blind leading the blind). I also used other existing board members to bring in experience. I worked my way around the active chapter members offering them a place on the slate, but received many declined offers for good reasons (next year’s election should have a boat load of candidates). We finally filled our slate of four.

One thing that was different this year, and only this year, the chapter is establishing an educational foundation. The chapter’s Memorial Trust was established 20 years ago, but never recognized as a separate charitable organization. We’re now making that transition, filed the paperwork with the State and IRS and now need the first Board of Directors for this new organization. I was nominated by our Board to be sure we had at least the minimum seven Board members, as well as create the ballots and mail them along with the chapter board election. This was a little more time consuming, I had to educate most of these candidates about what is going on with the trust becoming a foundation and how I can’t tell them what their obligations to the board will be, because I don’t know. I thankfully arranged for seven candidates and I nominated them from the floor at the February chapter meeting.

Following the election, the April board meeting is, as our bylaws state, the “organizational meeting.” We invite the newly elected board members who will begin their term on July 1st to hold our officer election. The current president had to miss this meeting, so I had the opportunity to run the board meeting and election. We only had one office contested by more than one candidate and everything went well. I advise future presidents to be sure they have began talking with the directors you want to be officers during your year as president a couple months before the April officer election. I waited until the week before, but everything worked out well.

To this point, we have officers and directors for FY2011, now I just need to verify committee appointments. One of my many goals is being sure everyone in leadership is supported, motivated, and empowered to be as effective as possible. To achieve this, I hope as president to understand what the goals of each person are related to CSI and then to guide and focus them based on our Mission and Strategic Plan. Rather than trying to achieve my own new agenda, I hope to advance the chapter’s agenda already established. To start this, while asking chairmen if they would like to continue another year, or appointing replacements, I also include a requirement to establish two to three goals for the year. I’ve followed up with most to discuss why I would like to know their goals, to be sure and provide the support from the chapter for them to be successful. I also get the opportunity to direct their attention away from goals that are not aligned with our chapter's direction based on the Mission and Strategic Plan.

Every position on the form is now elected or appointed, I've submitted my list to our chapter secretary who will submit these names to CSI Institute. These tasks immediately before I'm president will hopefully lay the foundation for a strong year. You simply can’t wait until July 1 and the fiscal year begins to think about what you want to achieve.

Explaining My Blog's New Dual Theme (Wisdom and CSI)

After a several month hiatus, I’m returning to my blog with a new dual theme for the next few months.

Theme One: Wisdom Literature Class
I will be teaching the Young Adults Class at the Eastside Church of Christ for the second trimester of 2010 covering Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon; also known as the Wisdom Literature. I’m really looking forward to this study as an opportunity to study in-depth some of my favorite biblical content and to share this treasure of wisdom on how to live your life with the young men and women that meet at Eastside. To save paper, and remove the typical student’s excuse of losing what we were going to do in class any given Sunday or Wednesday all class materials will be disseminated through my blog under http://dblakewagner.blogspot.com/search/label/Wisdom Feel free to follow along with us and don’t hesitate to comment to my blog if you have any questions or would like to debate some point I’m presenting. As a follower of the blog, you’ll miss the meat of the class, our live discussions, but you may enjoy reading how we’re progressing through the literature.

Theme Two: Journal My Year as CSI Indy President
At the same time, I will be moving up to President of the CSI Indianapolis Chapter on July 1, 2010. In preparation I’ve already appointed chairmen to the standing committees, served as chair of the nominating committee for our March elections to bring three new board members and one returning, and I’ve had a year to mentally prepare. My hope is to put in writing the thoughts and actions I’m taking as president to serve as a suggestion to other CSI presidents, future presidents, and a place for my chapter to go to see what all I have been doing/thinking in case I haven’t been very complete/concise/clear/correct in what I’ve told them. To follow just my CSI progress, follow http://dblakewagner.blogspot.com/search/label/CSI

I’m looking forward to the next year and I hope you’ll join me and provide any suggestions and discussion to make my endevours the best they can be. Thanks for reading!