One of the important annual events at branches of SA Hunters is the Annual General Meeting (AGM). An important item on the agenda is the election of new members to the management team and the succes of this process is determined to a large extend by the number of branch members participating in this event.
The SAHGCA is an association for members by members and the branch management team are individuals who offer their own time to manage branches and to plan and present activities for members. The success of a branch depends first of all on the election of enthusiastic members for the management team prepared to do the work, nominated in portfolios that they are interested in and that they posses the necessary knowledge, ability, infrastructure and free time to do the work properly. The identification of able volunteers for nomination to branch management should be a continuous process in each branch and members can make a substantial contribution in this regard. Branch management should focus constantly on succession, to ensure that replacements are already identified when existing management members’ terms expire.
In general, people with a successful track record in their personal and business life will be good candidates for branch management. The chairman is the leader and the manager of a branch and he will to a large extent determine the success of the branch. He has to be able to delegate tasks effectively to his management team and to coordinate the efforts of everyone. A few of the characteristics that a chairman need to posses are: integrity, self-discipline, tenacity, influence, a positive attitude and effective communication skills. He will, in more than one way, be a role model to the management team and the branch members. Evaluate any successful branch and you will without fail discover a dynamic chairman with a positive outlook on life and the ability to inspire people towards a common goal!
The shooting coordinator needs to be a person with good organizational skills and a strong personality to enforce discipline on the shooting-range. Officers or non-commissioned officers (currently in service or not) from the SA Defense Force or SA Police are more often than not, good candidates for this position on branch management. Finances of a branch need to be managed according to basic accounting principles with a proper set of books. The treasurer needs to be someone with an accounting background and meticulous attention to financial detail. People with existing training skills e.g. teachers are needed for the positions of junior and senior training officials. The associations training programs are e.g. range officers’, dedicated hunters and dedicated sport shooters.
In summary, people elected to branch management level need to be nominated and elected because of existing experience and skills, it cannot be taught at branch level. Members, talk to your branch chairman and get involved in the nomination and election process and where possible make yourself available for nomination. Our great Association is built on the efforts of volunteers!
