Message from the Great Northwest Region of ARMA Treasurer, Cindy Fredrickson

Marc’s message last month talked about the courage of the fearless Minnow crew. This month, I would like to highlight patience. Can you believe the patience it would take to be stranded on an island and hoping to be rescued for 98 episodes!

Relating this with information management and into today’s world, patience is even more of a virtue. Patience is called for when dealing with the ever increasing demands on us in our jobs with shifting and growing workloads to accomplish, the state of the economy in having to do more with less, and needing to have the flexibility to “go with the flow” in dealing with so many uncertainties and changing priorities. Behind all this is the survival of our companies in being able to keep track of their legacy with information management.

One person on the crew surely exhibited patience to me. Remember Russell Johnson who played Roy Hinkley, The Professor on Gilligan's Island? Well, Mr. Johnson is alive and well at the age of 85 and, believe it or not, living on an island! Johnson has written a great book about his experiences entitled, "Living On Gilligan's Island". That would be an interesting read wouldn’t it?

As you probably noticed in watching the series, he usually displayed more patience with Gilligan than any other of the castaways. He was the one that was methodical and took the time to research the rescue schemes the crew would come up with. He was always patient in teaching and supporting the crew in the ways of science. He always took extra care in helping to ensure everyone would get along and to give them hope that someday they would be rescued.

That is how I feel we need to be as information management professionals. We need to show that patience and steadfastness in dealing with the aspects of guiding our companies in the world of information management. This goes with dealing with the seasoned employees, influencing management, training new employees, and helping those that need that extra “nudge” along in compliance. The Region Team has been honored to have the experience of ARMA Headquarters to guide us and is there when we have questions and need training and they have the tools to give us to accomplish this. They really show that patience and persistence does rule the day in assisting us to be successful in our positions.

We also want you to know that this Region Team is working closely with the Bellevue/Eastside, Greater Seattle, and Puget Sound Chapters to create a Region Conference April 15-16, in Bellevue, Washington, that will be as a shining beacon of rescue on the stormy seas of information management that we experience today. So have patience and hold that date fast for the details of that voyage!

Here is to keeping it short and sweet this month. And, as always, happy islanding everyone!

Cindy Fredrickson aka Mary Ann
GNW Region Treasurer
ARMA International