Member: IAM Ethics Council

I started working with the IAM Ethics Council in 2019. Many exciting things were happening in my life that year and while I just had started a new position, the last thing I was thinking about was adding another task to my plate exactly at the same time. I wasn’t sure if I was up to the challenge and whether I would be able to dedicate enough time.

Many people close to me will describe me as someone who truly enjoys planning. However, I believe the beauty of life is that it is actually unpredictable. Maybe that is the reason I am still enjoying the moving industry so much after 18 years. It’s a business where you can plan everything to the tiniest detail and yet something unforeseeable will happen, which I believe is a good thing and makes life and the job exciting. The important thing is to focus on solutions rather than on the challenge or problem—it is about moving forward.

So, when the opportunity of joining the Ethics Council came up it was definitely not the right time: at least that is what I thought back then. But, instead of letting the opportunity to learn something new and get involved pass, I took it—and even though my plans were different, it has proven to be the best decision. 

I remember that I was quite nervous during the first in-person meeting at the conference in Chicago, suddenly sitting in a room with some well-known industry names. Would I really be able to add any value?

One experience I surely always had when working with other colleagues from the industry, who are volunteering, is that they are always warm and welcoming as the willingness to engage brings us that much closer together. The opportunity to be on a team with colleagues from different backgrounds and cultures has surely broadened my horizon, and just listening and engaging in conversations has helped me learn and grow.

It actually took some time before I was part of a case review panel, so by then I felt more comfortable discussing how we could find the best resolution for the case. We had some good discussions and besides working on the case itself, it also resulted in working on some parts of the actual code of ethics. Therefore, I felt like we not only tried to resolve one case but also add to building on the foundation of IAM and the industry.

I have been very lucky to always have my employer’s support when it comes to working with industry associations and I believe that this can be a wonderful way to engage your talent, not only in our industry but also in your company. Of course, volunteering comes with the cost of time, but it also pays with knowledge, experience, fun, and new relationships.

Therefore, I would recommend to anyone who is interested in engaging to look at the opportunity of volunteering—even when you feel that now is not the right time, as there is never a better time to support, help, learn, grow, and step outside of the usual comfort zone.