Business People Sitting in an Office Building ChattingBy Rita Pagan

I recently came across the below picture on social media and liked it so much that I printed it out and hung it at my desk. Not only was it humorous, but it reminded me to speak up and not be afraid to voice my opinion. It’s one of those times I need that daily reminder.

See, I’m a newbie around these parts. With 20+ years in the association world under my belt, I get the gist of how things work. Members, non-members, BOD, volunteers, Conference—these are not new terms for me. What I don’t have fully in my wheelhouse is the world of parking! So I sit silently trying to take it all in.

But here’s the thing—when you sit silently in a meeting, you deprive your organization and your colleagues of your knowledge and experience. When you sit silently, you lose the opportunity to make your organization better. So speak up! Really, could your idea be any worse than a full hour and 27 minutes about a tornado full of sharks?

Rita Pagan is IPI’s sales and exhibits coordinator.

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