By serving as a volunteer leader, ASM members sharpen their skills to become better team members and managers. Explore the leadership roles and responsibilities within ASM committees and councils to see how you can make a positive difference in the future of ASM members and the materials industry worldwide.
Chairperson
- Maintains a clear understanding of the purpose of the committee and how its responsibilities relate to the purpose and strategies of ASM. With the assistance of the staff liaison, the chair establishes specific goals and objectives for the committee.
- Consults the staff liaison in establishing goals.
- Maintains a well-balanced representation of committee members based on member technical interests, geographical location, and skill set.
- Encourages, delegates responsibilities, states expectations clearly.
- Possesses good listening and communication skills.
- Completes unfinished business from the previous chair and begins new projects after a careful review of past committee work.
- Prepares and distributes, through the staff liaison, meeting notices and agendas and encourages members to come prepared to meetings.
- Conducts meetings efficiently, following Robert's Rules. Provides opportunity for orderly but free-flowing discussion, allowing all views to be heard within a reasonable amount of time.
- Facilitates the decision making process by summarizing what has been discussed at the meeting and moving the committee toward a consensus.
- Assures that accurate meeting minutes are kept, that committee reports are timely and to the point and that action items are acted upon.
- Assures that recommendations on issues relating to ASM's policies that are submitted to the Board of Trustees (through the managing director) are made on the Recommendation Form and addresses each question on the form.
- Every January, provides the managing director with an Annual Report of committee activities, including a review of new technological developments that might influence the society and a status report on pertinent action items from the ASM Strategic Plan.
Vice-Chair
- Maintains a clear understanding of the purpose of the committee and how its responsibilities relate to the purpose and strategies of ASM.
- Possesses good listening and communication skills.
- Assumes leadership responsibilities throughout the meeting in the event of the chair's absence.
- Assumes the leadership role in providing competent and capable individuals to nominate for:
- ASM Awards Program (including ASM Fellows)
- Vice President and Trustee
- Nominating Committee
- Potential Committee Members
- Understands that the role of Vice-chair often, but not always, leads to an appointment as chair.
Secretary
- Prepares minutes of each committee meeting within two weeks of the meeting.
- Provides a copy of the minutes to all committee members, the staff liaison and appropriate ASM Board Strategy Team members.
- At the direction of the chair, communicates as needed with other ASM committees, councils, or staff concerning the committee's activities, actions, recommendations, or plans. This helps to coordinate the society's various activities and plans, and removes blind spots.
Staff Liaison
- Must be an ASM staff member.
- Provides administrative support, such as assisting the chair in the preparation of agendas and other meeting details, distributing meeting minutes (if the committee does not have a secretary), and maintaining files and other background materials that pertain to committee activities.
- Serves as a vital link in the continuity of the committee's work and provides historical perspective and administrative advice during committee deliberations.
- Coordinates activities with other staff members, provides background information, and acts as an individual resource for the committee.
Member
- Understands the goals and objectives of the committee and works towards them.
- Participates in all committee meetings as well as any independent follow-up work that is assigned during the meeting.
- Contributes to the success of the committee in achieving its objectives.