LEADS |
Leadership
GROWING INTO LEADERSHIP
Click here
for the GFWC Leadership Advancement Guide in the GFWC Club Manual.
A
few women are born leaders but most of us have to learn how to
lead. “Growing into Leadership” (based on
GFWC materials) is intended for every club woman who would
like to learn more about leadership, improve her skills, help
her club and have fun at the same time.
As
GFWC of Massachusetts Leadership Chairman, I would
be happy to visit your club and provide a workshop on
whatever leadership topic(s) your club members wish
to explore.
TOPIC
SUGGESTIONS: CHOOSE
YOUR FAVORITE
GETTING
STARTED
1. Who
am
I? It all started when we were
born. What’s my
S.W.O.T (Strengths, Weaknesses. Opportunities,
Threats)? What does my ‘Personal Style
Inventory’ reveal? Director, Influencer,
...? What does the ‘Learning and
Personality Type Assessment Survey’ tell me about
myself? And what do I do with all this
‘self-knowledge’ once I have it?
LEADERSHIP
TOOLS
2.Communication
skills.
Speaking,
sharing and being assertive. What do my words, voice
and body
language say to others? How can I communicate more effectively as a
leader? How do I learn to listen better and understand
more? What is P.O.W.E.R listening?
3. Time management.
We
have time, but not
forever. What’s
working and
what isn’t working in my current
schedule? Design a time map and then….
delegate, combine and focus on the essential.
Similarly,
at meetings we can provide an agenda/map, clock and
a chairman who graciously imposes time limits and stops off-the-point
wandering. Because time volunteered is a precious
gift.
4. Organizational
skills Poor records, lost reports and an
‘absent’ e-mail list are dragons that
devour time. Read your predecessors’ files. Keep
good records. Develop goals. Respond to phone calls and e-mail; meet
deadlines; arrive early. And the dragons will go
back to
their cave.
5. Parliamentary
procedure
and protocol. What every leader needs to
know. Parliamentary procedure safeguards order,
fairness and democratic process during the most complicated,
emotionally charged discussions. Protocol insists upon
fundamental politeness. It’s a good idea to learn
both.
6. Stress
Management and
Energizing, Laugh....and then laugh again.
Say
‘no’ sometimes, eat well, rest often, delegate,
mentor new members, give a “great idea of the
month” award, try a new project, award a “leader of
the month” certificate, take club members on a special
shopping trip.
FINDING
NEW LEADERS
7. Delegation.
What every leader needs
to do. Delegation is an agreement between a leader such as a
club
president and a club member regarding a task the member is
asked to perform. Delegation eases the president’s
work load and prepares the member for leadership.
8. Mentoring.
Mentor guided
Odysseus’ son. An experienced leader
who guides and advises potential or less-experienced
leaders. Praise freely; advise when
asked Mentoring and delegation are
related.
9. LEADS (Leadership
Development and Education Seminar) Attend a full
day seminar
in Omaha, Nebraska the day before the opening of the GFWC
International Convention to learn more than you thought possible about
leadership. Lots of information and tons of
enthusiasm. Please plan to apply.
10. THE
FOUNDATION --- STRATEGIC PLANNING
Example:
Recognize this
club?
The proposed annual fundraiser addresses several community needs and
captures the interest of a majority of club members. (Others
have
little enthusiasm for it.) People in town enjoy the event and
are
somewhat aware of its purpose. The planning committee has a
well-organized chairman and an active group of volunteers, most of whom
help at every club fundraiser. The committee has seed money
and a
time-line. Informal planning meetings occur more frequently
as the
event draws near. The committee reports to the club and urges members
to attend the fundraiser and invite friends. There will be a small
table with information about the club. After the event, club members
measure outcomes. Did the project achieve its goal(s)? [It
raised the
money needed. Were there any other goals?] What’s
next? A favorite
program, the new fundraiser discussed last spring or another annual
fundraiser tentatively listed in the club’s yearbook?
STRATEGIC
PLANNING [S.M.A.R.T.] is
a CHANGE, GROWTH AND POSSIBLITIES tool that helps clubs
anticipate,
plan and create their future. It takes into account the
vision, values
and creativity of a club as well as its traditions and current
structure.
Strategic
Planning questions: What do we do
best?
What do we offer new members that’s different? What do we
want our club to be known for? What should be our value to
the community?
Strategic
Planning
determines where a group is going, how it is going to get there, and
how it will know when it has arrived. It demands decisions
about goals, benchmarks that mark progress toward chosen goals and time
limits for achieving goals.
S.M.A.R.T.
Since the whole point of setting goals is to achieve them, then the
best goals are
S –
Specific
(Who or
What),
M – Measurable (How),
A
– Attainable (know your
capabilities),
R
– Realistic (not too difficult or easy,
may break
down into smaller objectives),
T
-- Time Specific (each goal or objective has a
time limit
or deadline)
S.M.A.R.T
requires: Task Setting which
is the assignment, chore or job that must be done
weekly
omonthly to
achieve a Goal;
Prioritizing of Goals and Tasks is deciding
the order of
how goals
tasks for each goal would be done; and
a
“parking lot” of not yet useable but great
ideas. |
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