In a previous newsletter article [click here for article], the Nominating & Recruiting (N&R) Committee outlined the process for selecting UCE’s board and leadership committee members. In this edition, we share some of the current N&R team’s aspirations to make the process more equitable and more transparent. What have we missed? What are your suggestions?
Contrary to common misperception, the N&R team does not choose the future members of the UCE board or committees. Ideally, N&R nominates and recruits enough candidates by the spring to give the voting congregation a wide range of qualified members from whom to choose for each open position. Unfortunately, this has not been the case in recent years. The reality has been a scrambling search to find enough willing volunteers who have not recently served on one of the committees, resulting in slates that are just barely filled by May.
Some of the N&R team’s aspirations for 2018-2019 are to:
·        Meet and get to know more UCE members.
·        Expand our circles within UCE; get out of our own “bubbles” within the congregation.
·        Challenge each other and ourselves to disrupt systemic bias in our leadership selection process – question what a “good fit” means.
·        Build diverse, collaborative teams, with complementary skill sets, personalities, perspectives and experiences, on each board and committee.
·        Match candidates’ experiences, skills, and interests to various leadership positions.
·        Foster interest in and transparency around leadership selection and development.
·        Engage and develop new leaders rather than reallocating established leaders when possible.
·        Find a large pool of willing volunteers well in advance of the May Annual Meeting.
·        Give the voting UCE membership as large a slate as possible from which to choose board and committee members.
Do you have opinions about the N&R process, or about who our future leaders should be? Do you want to join the UCE board or one of the UCE leadership committees yourself?
We would love to hear your voice. Please reach out to any of us on the N&R team: John LaPlante (co-chair), Shirley Adams (co-chair), Vicki Doebele, Alice Swan, Sarah Iles, Ruth Orme-Johnson, Woody Haynes, Beth Thompson and Maggie Wilson. Share your thoughts on the feedback forms we will have set up at bulletin boards, or look for us at the back of the sanctuary on first Sundays of each month. You are also welcome to email the N&R co-chairs: shirley@comeoutdancing.com, johnlaplante73@gmail.com. Thanks for your input!