Technorati Tags: Pageant Directors
Any clarification and questions you have about rules, schedule, payments, and general details of the pageant need to go to the director first. The following list will help you understand all the logistics a pageant director handles and this list is not complete.
Establish the date, location and schedule for the pageant.
Develop all the paperwork, rules, areas of competition and scoring for the pageant.
Select the judges.
Market to find contestants.
Handle the communication with all the contestants.
Network to secure gifts and prizes from business sponsors.
Arrange for entertainment, decorations and tech support for the staging of the pageant.
Secure staff members to help run the logistics of the event.
Wow! That sounds like a real business. Guess what? It is. Directors are in the business of providing a quality, fair opportunity for ALL the contestants that participate. The director is a business owner and the pageant system is the business. Just like in business, the quality of the owner and their skills will make or break the system. As a contestant, here are two guidelines you can follow to help the directors do their job.
Respect The Deadlines
Remember, pageantry is like every other business. There are expenses that need to be paid upfront and all of the planned events are based upon a set number of participants. That’s why most fees are non-refundable. Likewise, it is very difficult for a director to produce a quality pageant if people do not pay their fees when they’re supposed to. Please notice that “bill collector” doesn’t appear on the above list :).
Respect Their Time
1. Read through all the paperwork and materials the directors have put together.
2. Make a list of questions you need clarification on.
3. Arrange for a phone call so you can have them answered all at the same time.
4. Don’t expect one-on-one coaching from a director.
Time is valuable. An important thing to remember is that you are not the only contestant in the pageant. If weeks before a pageant, every contestant made a call or sent an email to the director that required a response, it would take hours upon hours away from the director’s core responsibilities.
Also, there is a fine line between asking a general question (what style of gown does the pageant system prefer?) and a coaching question (does this dress look good on me?). Do yourself a favor, and don’t make it awkward by crossing the line. Great directors make it a point to share ALL information with ALL contestants so it is fair. They stay away from giving personal opinions because this action could be interpreted by other contestants and their family members as favoritism, selecting the winning, etc.
Your director is your greatest resource to understanding and fully experiencing the pageant system you have chosen to enter. They are providing the opportunity for you. Do your part and take responsibility for your preparation.
Remember this formula:
Preparation + Opportunity = Success
All parts are needed for the equation to work.
Visit my resource tab on my website help with the preparation part of your formula.
Beyond the Pageant
When I was mayor, I learned very quickly there were two groups of people when it came to attitudes regarding rules, or law.
The first group equates rules with freedom. By knowing the parameters in which to operate, they turn their energies towards the endless possibilities within the respected area to make things happen effortlessly.
The second group views deadlines and boundaries as slavery. They are so focused on what they can’t do that enormous amounts of energy and time are used to either try to change the rules, figure out how to break the rules without getting caught, or bend the rules to fit their fancy. These choices are very draining and stressful for all involved.
Same set of rules, two different viewpoints. Will you choose freedom or slavery?
By Rhonda Shappert
December 16, 2009 19:45
