PRESIDENT’S REPORT
August 2019
Thank you all for the amazing input at the July meeting demonstrating the passion that so many individuals have for our Club. I asked for feedback, and feedback was provided. It is in this context that new ideas are put forward, discussed and then revised. Change often follows.
There can be a tendency to resist change because it involves the unknown. It may be uncomfortable, or it might mean a step backwards. If a Club is running well (and in my own opinion and that of many others, the Pajero Club is) then why make changes? We will come back to this question towards the end.
To misquote Einstein, it is all relativity. If our systems are working well and we maintain them then they should continue to work well. Of course (we assume) everyone else is behind us; but what we may fail to notice is that other Clubs are striving to do better, to make repairs, to emulate us, and then to outperform us. Suddenly we notice what is happening. However we have little momentum because we think of ourselves as the leaders; but now many others are out ahead and have optimised what we may have pioneered (how dare they!). Einstein would recognise and agree that we are still doing well, but he would point out that others are now doing better and, as he would say, that is relativity—by not moving, we have gone backwards relative to others.
Our Club Rules and Policies were overhauled in 2014, and they were done very well at that time. Here is an interesting thought—in 2014, the National Broadband Network was slowly rolling out, Julia Gillard had just been replaced, Apple had a world-leading phone but not the same as the one today and Michael Clarke was the Australian cricket captain.
Smart Gen X or Gen Y members come to our meetings because of the Pajero Club’s reputation among 4WD clubs and because of great people. They want to learn to drive better, they want to cross rivers and deserts, and they know there is a huge resource of experience in the Pajero Club. They realise that they will not be the leading instructors overnight, but they do see areas in which they can make a difference to the Club through their contributions. Perhaps their recent experience in the corporate world, maybe BHP, CBA, CSL, government or maybe a successful start-up has exposed them to the global leaders in people management, information technology, finance or modern risk methods. We welcome them to come and help us take the Club forward. Paraphrasing one newer member “I have plenty to learn about 4-wheel driving and running a Club. But I have not joined this Club to be a passenger; I want to contribute too. I will respect and learn from the years of accumulated expertise, I’ll explain my own experiences and suggest how we might build a better Club, and then I hope that we can work together to realise that better Club.”
There is a balance: if we move too fast on changes then we will lose the heart and soul of the Club with all that experience, but if we move too slowly then potential new members will go elsewhere, and we risk falling behind.
The key question becomes “Are our practices perfect for the next ten years, or can they be improved?” Are we accepting a Club that is pretty good and transitioning into sort-of good, or will we strive to always improve?
As past and present leaders we inherit a responsibility to continually improve the Club and position it for success in 2025 and beyond.
Neil Phillips - 1744 President: [email protected]