By Mary Beth Rogers, ED.S., CFO, MSBO Board President, Executive Director of Business Services, Clarkston Community Schools
In less than one week more than 2,000 of us will be joining MSBO at the annual conference in Grand Rapids. We will have the opportunity to attend several breakout sessions at the Amway and DeVos Place and be wild while we listen to our keynote speaker. There will be networking opportunities throughout the few days including the exhibit show. We get the chance to meet our vendors face to face or meet new ones and develop new vendor relationships. There will be 447 vendor exhibits. The MSBO Annual Conference is one of the best opportunities to network.
If you think about it networking is at the core of my presidential initiatives. To understand generational change, to create strong mentor relationships and to provide quality practical professional development, we need to have strong networking systems in place. Networking can give you an opportunity to communicate with a diverse group of individuals from all generations, and help you understand each individuals’ thoughts and value system. If you have a strong network in place, then it is easier to develop a mentoring relationship and be able to ask the practical questions to complete your day-to-day tasks.
Networking is vital. Why is networking important? To successfully navigate the current complexity of state categoricals and grants, we should be leaning on each other. For example, the School Aid Budget went from 27 sections twenty years ago to 160 sections in FY 2023-24. We cannot navigate this complexity alone. By developing a strong network, you can develop lasting relationships, take advantage of diversity of thought and access to new information, raise your personal profile, advance your career, and build your confidence. Throughout my career, I have relied heavily on networking. I have been a mentee and a mentor. I have participated in several regional groups. I have been part of small groups of business officials, that I can reach out to at any time with a question. I have also been very active on the MSBO listserv and participated in several professional development opportunities over the years.
My best advice when it comes to creating a strong network is to get involved in MSBO. Join and attend MSBO regional groups, participate in MSBO committees and attend networking conferences such as the annual SWMSBO conference, MSBO facilities conference and MSBO Annual Conference. You will build strong relationships and confidence to put yourself out there whether it is asking a question on the MSBO listserv and calling or emailing a peer colleague. A strong network provides you access to all the up-to-date information and changes. One of my favorite networks is my regional email group that I have with four other business officials. I can email this group and ask questions anytime. I typically receive a diverse array of thoughts and insights, which help me make an informed decision. Also, you can take on leadership roles whether it is at a regional, committee or MSBO board level and can be a great way to advance your career.
I hope to see several of you out and about networking at the annual conference. I challenge each of you at the annual conference to talk to someone new. I challenge all of us to lean on each other.