OFFICE BEARERS FEATURES


Challenges and change


Kevin Griffin looks back on his three years as President of SELECT and the unprecedented events which happened during his time in the role


M


y time as President of SELECT has been eventful to say the least. It has coincided with the biggest global health crisis in


a century and a significant change in the organisation’s senior management. At times, the scale of change has been bewildering, but throughout it all it has been a privilege and a pleasure to hold this position. Normally, the SELECT President


serves for two years. However, because these are far from normal times, I have held the role for three. I first joined SELECT (or the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland as it was then) more than 25 years ago and it’s fair to say that I’ve never witnessed a period like recent times when sweeping developments have come thick and fast. Among others, SELECT appointed a new managing director, Alan Wilson. It’s never easy to make change at the top of an organisation but the outstanding contribution that Alan has made since we brought him on board proves that the difficult decision to refresh our top team was a wise one.


Around three months before I was due


to step down as President, COVID-19 hit the UK. The resulting crisis is the biggest challenge SELECT and its Members have faced. However, thanks to our amazing people, we were able to function throughout the pandemic. We focused on communication,


providing members with essential information and advice. We not only kept up to date with legislation produced by the UK and Scottish Governments but also helped to influence where we could. Part of our strategy was for Central Board members to pick up the phone to call Members directly. As business owners, we faced exactly the same challenges and pressures as our Members and it was important to share experiences, as well as provide the reassurance that SELECT was ready to help.


The pandemic and subsequent


lockdown had an immediate impact on Members’ finances and, as a means of support, we refunded membership fees – an option that was only open to us thanks to strong financial management over the years.


There are two aspects of the crisis that


show just what SELECT means to its Members and how they appreciated our response to the coronavirus challenges. For one, our membership numbers


have remained constant throughout – almost every individual and organisation has stayed with us. What’s more, although we gave people


the option to forego membership fees, a number continued to pay, insisting that they wanted to support the organisation and their fellow professionals. COVID-19 has had wider impact. It has combined with the advance of technology to speed up changes in the way we all operate. For example, training programmes are now delivered


26 CABLEtalk OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020


online rather than face-to-face. The role of President will be affected, too. There will be less focus on attending events while digital contact with Members will continue to grow. In a way, that makes the job harder –


it’s difficult to establish and nurture relationships online. But I’ve no doubt people will find a way. As my extended period as President comes to an end, it’s time for someone else to come in and make their mark. I feel that I leave SELECT in good shape, bearing in mind the ground- shaking developments of the past year in particular. And I am sure the association will continue to grow and develop. Finally, I think it’s important to reiterate that SELECT, above all, is a democratic organisation where everyone’s views are important. I’ve never seen myself as anything more than a member of the association and I believe any fellow member could take up the various roles I am proud to have carried out. If you believe you can make a contribution, I would encourage you to step forward perhaps at branch level to get involved. I can’t promise that the future will be as dramatic as the past 12 months, but I can guarantee it’s a decision you would never regret.


GETTING TO KNOW YOU: New SELECT Vice-President Alistair Grant Page 46


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