A friend of mine was leading the events committee for a community we’re part of. She doesn’t work and her kids are grown-up.
I work full time and my kids are young. My job involves travel and often late night global conference calls.
She asked me to join the committee with her, saying it wouldn’t be much work, so I agreed.
A few weeks later she called me to say her father was sick and she needed to travel to see him, so would I take over the lead post. I said no as work keeps me busy, but she virtually begged and assured me I’d have her full support in anything I needed.
So I very reluctantly agreed and, what do you know, a few weeks later she called to say she was standing down from the committee entirely 🤨
Not only is it a ton of work, but the community leads are just horrible. Nothing myself and the committee do is enough (I’m supported by a couple of other people). Everything is an argument with the chair of the board and he is so unbearably rude.
The last straw was this week when I was told I ‘must do better’, because I missed an email on something completely unimportant, because my daughter was sick that day.
Everyone I talk to thinks I should stand down (and frankly, tell them to shove their role) but I feel very responsible. If I stand down there’s no one to take over this role, leaving this community (that means a lot to me) without someone to lead the committee.