A major tenet of the Junior
League of Washington’s (JLW) mission is to develop the potential of women. With
more than 100 leadership positions in the League, there are plenty of
opportunities for growth as a leader within the League and our community.
Charged with identifying and slating these leadership positions, from the Board
of Directors on down, is JLW’s Nominating Committee.
The Committee is composed of 11
past JLW leaders elected by JLW’s active membership each spring. These leaders
represent breadth, depth, and diversity of knowledge and skills, and they
fulfill JLW’s mission in every aspect of what they do.
What’s it like to serve on the
Nominating Committee? We talked to two members of this year’s committee, Lauren
Whalen and Elizabeth Haddad, to provide perspective into what it’s like to serve
the League as a Nominating Committee member, and their advice on growing into
League leadership.
Lauren Whalen
1. What inspired you to serve
on the Nominating Committee? I
wanted to learn more about the inner workings of JLW and serve in a position
that allowed me to help slate leaders who I think have the potential to
strengthen our organization and further our mission.
2. In your Nominating Committee
service, how are you giving back to the League? Slating the right leader for each position is a
critical component of furthering our mission. The Nominating Committee gives
back to the JLW by selecting leaders who will not only move our mission and our
day-to-day work forward, but will grow and encourage those serving beneath
them. It’s the start of a #JLWLove train!
3. What benefits do you feel
you personally are getting out of serving on the Nominating Committee? I have learned so much about how our League
operates and how our standing rules and procedures have evolved over time. I
learn something new every time we meet as a committee!
4. What is the time commitment
for service on the Nominating Committee? The fall is an especially busy time for the Nominating
Committee, as we have to all get up to speed with procedure, put together the
leadership pool, and interview all current Board of Directors members.
Additionally, we make ourselves available to all committees and councils to get
the word out about the nominating process and to encourage members to nominate
others and themselves. I would say most of us spend around 10-15 hours on
Nominating Committee work each month.
5. What would you say to a JLW
member who wanted to self-nominate for the Nominating Committee? Read the Blue Book. If it sparks joy in you,
definitely self-nominate! Kidding aside, self-nominate if you think that you
want to learn more about the structure of the League and contribute to thinking
objectively and strategically about how to best leverage the leadership skills
of our membership to move our mission forward.
6. What are the qualities of a
good Nominating Committee member? Are
there any experiences a JLW member should have before serving on the Nominating
Committee? I would say that having a diverse JLW resume is helpful. Nominating
members with experience doing a few different things in the League have a
better sense of which leadership qualities and strengths might be most
beneficial for the different councils and committees.
Elizabeth Haddad
1. What inspired you to serve
on the Nominating Committee? I
strongly believe that the League has many leaders and that we need to encourage
people to raise their hand for leadership. There are many who know they are
great leaders while others need encouragement to take that leadership role, and
on Nominating, we get to encourage League members to raise their hand and take
on positions that stretch outside of their comfort zone
2. In your Nominating Committee
service, how are you giving back to the League? Serving on Nominating allows me to interact with
many members throughout the League, whom I otherwise would not meet. I am given
the opportunity to discuss where our current leaders see the League moving and
encourage members to be comfortable stepping into leadership.
3. What benefits do you feel
you personally are getting out of serving on the Nominating Committee? Nominating allows you to hear a multitude of
perspectives, and you learn that no one individual can make a decision. We are
a very collaborative group of women who have had the privilege of leading major
committees, so we understand what it takes to be a good leader and we really
have to work to place the right individual in the right role for the time.
4. What is the time commitment
for service on the Nominating Committee? I spend about an hour a week working on JLW emails, and when
we are selecting for leadership, we have two committee meetings at JLW
Headquarters a month. I also am a liaison for the Ways and Means Council and
the New Member Council, so I attend council and committee events as well. We
are also encouraged to attend a Board meeting.
5. What would you say to a JLW
member who wanted to self-nominate for the Nominating Committee? The Nominating Committee enables you to see the
governance side of the League. You really get to experience a different aspect
on how JLW works as a nonprofit and what goes into determining the future
direction of the League. There is a strategic aspect as you are future
planning, but all in all it is a fun way to learn how leaders are placed in our
League.
6. What are the qualities of a
good Nominating Committee member? Are
there any experiences a JLW member should have before serving on the Nominating
Committee? You do not have to know everyone in the League to be a successful
member of the committee, you only have to have a collaborative spirit and an
open mind. The members on the committee come with a diverse background, so you
usually have all your knowledge areas covered.
