I was recently nominated to chair a Family/Education Subcommittee for the local Children's Council. I think the only reason I was nominated is because they want a parent to be chair, and I was (am usually) the only parent present. The staff at the organization that "sponsors"(not sure what the right word would be) the subcommittee have told me that I am an excellent candidate and the most competent person for the job.
While I am flattered that they think so highly of me, I worry if I am up to the job. And, assuming I get the position, how would AS affect my ability to perform the duties expected of me (still unclear as to what they would be) also, should I tell the rest of the committee that I have (or think I have...I'm not officially diagnosed) AS? I have gotten over most of my social anxiety but I am not comfortable speaking in front of groups of people yet. I did discuss this issue with the others and they offered several ideas to resolve the problem (namely, having the Co-Chair do all the speaking). I see this as an excellent oppurtunity because I really believe in the mission of the Committee, but I don't want to cause them to fail because I was a poor leader. I am open to any advice, and thank you in advance.
Try it, and see if it works, if you come across a problem along the way, try and work with them to resolve it.
If it doesn't work out, at least you have tried and had a new experience. :smile:
I personally would go for this because it is an excellent opportunity to learn
However, I would add some caveats and state some conditions before agreeing to do this.
I would outline your concerns and ask the Subcomittee to acknowledge them, understand them and agree to support you in your tasks in relation to them.
I would also, leading on from this, lay our some terms of reference as to exactly what your duties will be and what is expected of you. This will act as a reference point for you to refer to going forward to ensure that you can remain personally on course.
I would also sya that you will do it for a fixed period only - say 6 months or a year, after which you will review your situation by standing again (I would ensure that I was nominated and "elected" to ensure that you have the confidence from having the piece of mind of knowing they are on your side which will help allay internal concerns about your ability to do so).
If at any stage it gets fractious then I would immediately ask for a vote of confidence. I would also ensure that everyone has a say and that all decisions are widely endorsed. You can use this to justify your decisions.
These measures who help mitigate the AS attributes and would mean you do not have to reveal your condition which "may" be used against you later.
As I say, great opportunity to learn in an informal, non-vital (in the sense it is not your livlihood that is on the line) - go for it!
Kornik
I was recently nominated to chair a Family/Education Subcommittee for the local Children's Council. I think the only reason I was nominated is because they want a parent to be chair, and I was (am usually) the only parent present. The staff at the organization that "sponsors"(not sure what the right word would be) the subcommittee have told me that I am an excellent candidate and the most competent person for the job.
While I am flattered that they think so highly of me, I worry if I am up to the job. And, assuming I get the position, how would AS affect my ability to perform the duties expected of me (still unclear as to what they would be) also, should I tell the rest of the committee that I have (or think I have...I'm not officially diagnosed) AS? I have gotten over most of my social anxiety but I am not comfortable speaking in front of groups of people yet. I did discuss this issue with the others and they offered several ideas to resolve the problem (namely, having the Co-Chair do all the speaking). I see this as an excellent oppurtunity because I really believe in the mission of the Committee, but I don't want to cause them to fail because I was a poor leader. I am open to any advice, and thank you in advance.
First, find out as specifically as possible what this position will require, both in terms of skills and time. If it seems like something you are both willing and able to do, then agree with the understanding that if you are left to do everything yourself all bets are off. You don't need to bring up the spectrum unless you want to, just let them know that you have many other obligations and cannot take on a substantial volunteer obligation without a reasonable amount of support. Of course, if the position little time or effort then don't worry about the support.