Passing the Baton

Helen’s (Galvan) grandfather was a composer; and Helen’s mother often said that manipulating a baton was an art; and that handing one over was done well when the conductor(s) did so without skipping a beat.  The great composer Gustav Mahler said that “The real art of conducting consists in transitions.” As we form an image in our minds of what a smooth transition of the baton meant, not only to the leader(s), but to the musicians and the audience, we can see a harmonious balance of what it means to create, generate and enjoy music.

Transitions of all kinds take place every day, not just in the enjoying of music.  And in all transitions, we should be able to expect some harmony and balance in the passing of an event or experience in order to call it successful.  And so, in a transition, we “pass the baton”.

Passing the baton carries with it some responsibilities.  First of all, it implies that there is someone following the beat – the membership.   So it is the responsibility “del quien lleva la batuta”, or the leader, to see that the membership is behind him/her.  That takes constant monitoring, in the way of communication.  It takes a well-thought-out, or, at the very least, an articulated plan. 

Then, in order for the baton to be passed smoothly, we need at least a common consensus that the plan could work, and everyone is focused on carrying it out in some form.  It doesn’t mean that everyone has to agree that it is the best way to carry it out; it just means that everyone is in agreement that they will support the plan as it stands; and if it doesn’t work, then a meeting of the membership (or their representatives) takes place in order to modify it. 

No one likes to pass the baton when they feel that their work is incomplete, or there is not a harmonious operational organization at work.  It is human nature to want to finish what one has started, and to see it completed successfully.  However, that is not always possible in organizations, such as the AGIF, that change their leadership yearly, or every two or three years at the most. 

That being said, it is, however, possible to pass the baton smoothly.  That is, as leaders, to make every effort to communicate to all the membership, whether we feel everyone is with us 100% or not.  There is no such thing as a leader who knows or who can do it all.  Success is always contingent on communicating; constantly gathering input in the way of new and expanded ideas; and bringing all the ideas together to form a balanced and harmonious blend of different thoughts that moves forward as the organization’s focus, goals, objectives, and purpose.

As members of this great organization, we all hold the responsibility of supporting our goals and objectives; as we are the ones, whether we are in front, in the middle, or the back, that have contributed to the forming of those goals, and success can only occur when we go forward united in purpose.  Yes, even though we may not agree 100% with those goals.  We owe it to ourselves as members of this organization to make every effort to make our goals materialize. 

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”

– Henry Ford

Willie Galvan, State Commander, and Helen Galvan, State Chairwoman, will be passing the baton at the 2010 State Conference in Santa Maria.  Who will take the challenge of taking it without skipping a beat?