In my business blog – now no longer in existence – back in November I had a few posts about my volunteer experience on the board of a local non-profit. My frustrations were huge! There were two individuals I referred to as The Puppet and The Tyrant who were the cause most of the problems. Here’s an update.
I really hate (yes, I said hate) losing sleep over something as low on my priority list as a volunteer position. Yes, its important to me. Yes, I’ve made a commitment to the organization to serve on its board for another year. But at the end of the day, if I lose sleep about something, it should be about my business, my livelihood, or my family – those things which are essential to my physical and mental well-being. It may have been a combination of an oncoming cold which made made me very achy and a tense board meeting earlier that evening. Whatever the reason, I spent hours lying in the dark last night going over in my mind what has happen in the past, what happened at the board meeting and, in fact, writing this blog in my mind.
The Puppet, if you will remember, I described as a good person who was a ‘puppet’ of the Tyrant. The Tyrant is out of the picture now. She has not been seen or heard from except in the rare third party over the last two months. From what I have been told of her past, I don’t expect that to remain that way forever. She will no doubt turn up in a few months pretending nothing was said or done. She has done horribly in her representation of Conservative, Christian business women. I am quite ashamed to be associated with her even in as much as a part of the organization she formerly led. We spend TOO much time making up for her slights to various community organizations, individuals, and past members of the organization. Anyway, enough on her. Back to The Puppet who is the true focus of my rant tonight.
I can no longer think of The Puppet as a good person who was led astray. Honest people admit their mistakes and do their best to fix them. They do not go out of their way to cover their own butts at every opportunity! When all The Puppet can admit to and apologize for is not holding enough meetings or staying on top of things better, I just wanted to shake him! It was YOU, I wanted to say! YOU allowed The Tyrant her reign. You allowed our treasury to be draining with unapproved expenses. YOU allowed the reputation of our organization to be trashed. YOU gave The Tyrant approval to do as she pleased without the consulting the rest of us, thus setting us on this road to ruin. These were not the actions of an honest person. I can no longer consider his actions a simple misplacement of trust in The Tyrant. When you don’t admit the wrong, you take no responsibility for your actions. You lose more than the pride you thought to salvage by hiding. Without the humility to admit your mistakes, you lose all credibility. Do you know what? The VALIDITY of the problems within our organizations, were questioned by a city Council person based on the credibility of this man and his place in leadership. If he was involved then there had to be an explanation, right?
Lessen learned! It may take 30 years to build a solid reputation, but only one dishonest move to bring it all crashing down around you. Pride comes before a fall every time.
Grace and the White Knight 