I was swift to open my browser! I was in search of all social clubs and societies in Ìbàdàn and Oyo State at large. I had come across a tweet from a close associate earlier. He made mention of one of his friends who just landed a juicy contract. He got the offer through someone he met at a Golf Course– a group he had to borrow funds to the tune of NGN 1.5million to pay as registration fees.
I am however, in awe of this risk taker.
While I wanted to unravel who the contact was and see how I could play my cards, I felt it was important that I assess what my benefits could be. I was however sure that my Ijebu traits wouldn’t allow me take a loan of NGN 1million to join a club.
In assessing myself, I asked some critical questions I’d like you to personalise the under — listed:
Are you getting what you want from organisations you belong to? If not, are they the wrong ones for you or do you need to find more strategic ways to participate? Does being involved contribute to your goals or have you outgrown your need for and interest in the group? Don’t start joining new associations if you have not taken advantage of the opportunities in groups you are already a part of. As you assess your association, ask yourself, “Where have I developed the most profitable contacts in the past?”
As I looked over my involvements, I decided that although Golf Course events were fun, I’d be more likely to find clients to hire and get good deals from in other places without the burden of a loan. I felt satisfied with what I was doing in the Public — Private sector. I also noticed that my reason for joining a particular socio-political group was not at the top of my list of current goals. I was also swift to remember several new clients in recent months had come from the group. As I thought about Youths in Leadership, I decided to consult the membership directory to see just how many were leaders in the society. I found only six. Four of which were of questionable conduct. None were a good fit with my core values. I decided to exit the WhatsApp platform and never attended a meeting again. I had terminated my membership. As I thought about a particular project I had volunteered to be a part of, I realised that, having given my best there in almost two years, I had already become a professional in Municipal Solid Waste Management in South West, Nigeria and needed to find new reasons for continuing to give my best there. I felt it was a must!
While I assessed my involvements, I saw how important it is to make sure that organisations I belong to are the right ones for my projects or goals.