Nathaniel Lim: Questions & Answers
For the Nominating Committee (elect two positions for terms of two years each)
Nathaniel Lim
Nominating Committee Questions & Candidate Answers | Member Questions & Candidate Answers
Provide an example of a time when you had to keep from speaking or making a decision because you did not have enough information.
I live in a townhouse with three other units. One homeowner found evidence of termites. After a few meetings and a few bids from exterminators, we decided to fumigate the building, but could not decide on an exterminator. The bids all seemed about the same. I suggested we hold off until we got references, so the other homeowners left it to me to get them. When I contacted them, only one responded with strong references. Thus, we accepted that bid. The other homeowners “patted me on the back” for waiting and getting more information.
Describe a decision that you made within the last year that you are very proud of.
After a 20-year hiatus, I decided to rejoin the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) as an adult volunteer. For those of you who don’t know, the BSA has so much more to offer than uniforms, knot-tying, and campouts. The public hardly sees the huge infrastructure in the background to support its local scout troops. Their outdoor and leadership training programs for youth and adults are terrific. For example, I recently completed a six-day training course for adult leaders. Topics included leading change, managing conflict, and leveraging diversity, to name a few. Unlike a typical training seminar (i.e., you go home and put the binder on the shelf to collect dust), participants must set goals, put into practice what they learn, and report their accomplishments within 18 months to “graduate.” As my STC experience and BSA skills cross-pollinate, I can be a greater contributor to both. (The BSA needs tech writers, too.)
Why does this position interest you?
As a senior technical writer in my company, I have interviewed technical writing candidates for my department, in teleconferences and in person for both senior and entry-level permanent and contractor positions. I have taken character development seminars, such as the Myers-Briggs temperament inventory, and sessions on interviewing subject matter experts to learn how to ask the right questions. As a result, I have been able to evaluate candidates more effectively and appreciate their differences. Depending on the situation, candidates don’t have to think like me, and we don’t necessarily have to agree with one another. I have learned to appreciate diversity in a team environment. My department really takes the time to evaluate candidates thoroughly, and we have had very low turnover. I want to apply these skills to finding leaders for our Society.
What attracts you to our organization? What can you tell us about our organization?
Three attractions keep me active in STC:
- Diversity: Members from all over the world bring ideas I would never have imagined. We have different experiences to share, which I cannot get from my own corner of the workplace.
- Education: Several resources help me in my job and volunteer work. I learn concepts and ideas from annual summits and local meetings. I see award-winning entries as a competition judge. I read Intercom and Technical Communication.
- Networking: I network with people who share the same passion I have. Some are very enthusiastic about STC. I pick their brains, and they pick mine.
I see that STC:
- Is willing to adapt.
- Can overcome difficult financial circumstances.
- Recognizes quality technical communication.
- Stays on the cutting edge yet does not forget the basics for students and new writers.
- Provides opportunities for members to get involved at all levels.
- Solicits feedback from rank and file members to help make top level decisions.
- Knows how to have fun!
What are your personal reasons for wanting to serve on the STC nominating committee?
Mainly it is because a member of the nominating committee asked me to run. But more importantly to me, technical communication is not just a job or profession; it’s a passion. I believe the world can be a better place if people pay attention to solid technical communication. The profession continues to be underappreciated, and I want to change that. By getting visionary and strategic-thinking members onto the Board of Directors, I can help the Society get our powerful stories out to the world. As a result, institutions will hire more technical communicators, appreciate the work we do, and raise our compensation. People will want to read what we write (or illustrate), so that money, time, and lives can be saved.
Nathaniel Lim
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