president’s message
by Sid Hutchcraft
A Time for Support
W
e will soon be provided the list
of candidates for the 2016-2018
AMHA Board of Directors elections in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12. Without
a doubt, there will be several new members
nominated to serve on the BOD in most, if
not all, of these Regions. These nominees
will all be interested AMHA members seeking election to the Board by their fellow area
members. I am confident all of these AMHA
members will be interested, supportive,
loyal members who can bring progressive
thoughts and recommendations to AMHA.
Once elected however, in order for them to
be successful, they will need your complete
support and understanding.
AMHA Board members must be good leaders and deserving of complete trust. Trust
can be difficult to build, but it is easy to lose.
This is partly because people usually start
with a distrustful mind-set. As a leader, one
must work hard at earning trust, fostering
that trust by showing loyalty, and supporting
the team--members and subordinates--fully.
Leaders have to prove that they are trustworthy by word and deed, and then prove themselves all over again. Even then, a few people
will continue to believe that they have a hidden agenda, however many assurances and
reassurances they may have received. Leaders must start from the assumption that they
will be trusted and are trustworthy. Then,
if they are honest, keep their promises, and
play fair with people, trust will follow.
Leadership is a multi-dimensional function,
requiring knowledge and understanding of
many organizational or association needs. As
a leader, a Board member must master the
various roles that are required to handle different people/members and circumstances
with skill and efficiency. Often, important decisions must be made with little advance notice and time for consideration. And in many
cases these decisions may not be popular with
some members. To make proper decisions,
Board members must keep knowledgeable
and aware of association needs, problems,
and challenges. Good communication with
other Board members, as well as the general
membership, is an absolute necessity.
How well the new Board members lead
others will be the prime factor in the future
success of AMHA. To be effective leaders,
Board members must facilitate, inspire, and
implement, rather than just control. A leader
must always be aware of the ultimate goals
of the association and know how their own
objectives fit in with them. Working together toward a shared goal can give members
a sense of ownership and responsibility, and
will create an atmosphere of team spirit within our association.
In closing, let me say it is always an anxious
time for me each fall to see who will serve
on the new Board of Directors for the coming year. The decisions made by the AMHA
members in each area, when they mark their
ballots for the election of directors, are very
important and will determine whom the future leaders for AMHA will be. However,
equally as important is the pledge each and
every AMHA member should make to support their new leaders and to positively communicate with them. These leaders need
your understanding and positive thinking as
we all work together to better AMHA for our
members and continue to protect and provide credibility for the registry of our wonderful, talented AMHA Miniature Horses.
18 Miniature Horse World
O ctober / N o v ember 2 0 1 5