The student club experience forms some of the fondest memories of university life. Year 2 BBA student Aaron Oon, outgoing President of NUS Bizad Club at NUS Business School, reflects on his journey.
When I first entered university, I had not planned to become the President of my school’s student-run club—the Bizad Club. Neither did I plan to run for a position in the club’s Management Committee in my first year.
However, my seniors convinced me that it would be a worthwhile experience, so as a freshman, I ran for and served on the Bizad Club’s 34th Management Committee as Vice-President (External).
They were great times. Hence, I felt it would be apt to run for a second year as President—to craft an equally amazing or even better experience for my juniors.
With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the past year, we had the liberty to plan a lot more events for the students. New challenges arose as the pandemic situation evolved, but the team learnt to cope with them.
As I draw near the end of my term as President of the 35th Management Committee, three lessons stay close to my heart.
You represent yourself, and your role
This was one of the first lessons a senior taught me when I entered the club and one that I often told my juniors.
I am a fun-loving fella who speaks faster than I think—not necessarily the best trait of a leader. However, the role of the President requires me to adapt my communication accordingly.
For example, speaking with external stakeholders like sponsors and organisational partners requires a balance of steadfastness and tactfulness. Speaking with a committee full of tired juniors requires empathy.
As much as this screams, “you’re not allowed to be yourself”, it isn’t necessarily bad. Adjusting your interaction with others based on circumstances is an essential soft skill I have learnt and honed.
During his term as Bizad Club President, Aaron has honed his soft skills in areas such as communication.
You need to rely on your team
Leading a team ties in with time management and the cliché concept of covering your weaknesses. Many might think that a team’s head has to do everything, but I think otherwise—the head needs to paint the big picture and guide his team towards achieving goals.
The 35th Management Committee consists of three Vice-Presidents, three Secretaries, and 17 Directors. Most of them have another full committee under their purview. We place faith in one another to do the job well instead of micromanaging.
Of course, the precursor to all this is building a strong, dedicated team from the onset. I believe this is important for a successful term.
Aaron (second row from bottom, middle) and the 35th Management Committee of the Bizad Club
It is okay not to know everything
This is a short and important lesson.
As the President, people from all places will come to you with questions and problems, expecting you to know the answer.
It is okay not to know everything. I learnt that you just need to do one of three things:
- Find the answer
- Know someone that knows the answer
- Convince them to find it out themselves
The importance of culture
Bonus lesson. Students join Bizad Club to gain an enriching student life. However, managing multiple events in a year can lead to burnout for some. Hence, I advocated building a supportive Bizad culture during my election campaign.
The Bizad Club flag, the Bizad Medley (our cheer conceptualised since the 15th Management Committee), 17 consecutive RAG & FLAG shields, and even our student lounge, The Pulse, are all important constituents of our culture. Without it, we would be plain event or camp organisers.
When our energy gets down, especially near the examinations period, remembering why we joined the club and envisioning the results of our hard work pick us up. I chose to run for President mainly because the club has given me a lot in my pandemic-stricken first year, and I wanted to give back. Building a culture of unity is important and an ongoing task for my successor.
Aaron (second bottom row, first from right) and his peers from the 34th Management Committee
Conclusion
This doubles as an open letter to future Bizad Club Presidents. The role comes with challenges, but growth and fun await too.
The Bizad Club experience is irreplaceable and has taught me lessons that I will bring forth in my professional life. I am sure my predecessors and successors can attest to that as well.
