Communicate with Confidence/Project Report

              This is a membership issue many of us forget We
must keep those we have! If someone starts missing
meetings, delegate someone to find out why, and fix the
problem If someone quits, ditto
In fact, even if there is no apparent problem, it is a
good idea to hold a tune- up' meeting occasionally
Encourage your members to suggest ways to improve the
club, new projects, new directions, new ideas; and ways to
improve the meetings. Really listen and carefully consider
ways that their suggestions can be implemented If they
feel a part of the planning team, they will feel more loyalty
to the club And., only by finding out what is wrong with
the product can we improve it.
Membership= Leadership= Membership
So back to what comes first. the chicken or the
egg? Recruiting members or recruiting leaders... which
should be your priority?
Well, put simplistically, you don't need leaders if
there is no membership As we have noted, though, poor
leadership is certainly detrimental to acquiring new
members or keeping the ones you have. If you are very short
of members or in a critical stage of leadership, then I guess
the priority is already evident They are so co- dependent
that one can not really be discussed separately from the
other.
Members are attracted to a viable,
visionary organization. This is leadership's
responsibility Good leaders are visionaries You have a
dream, an idea, a vision of what direction you want the club
to go, what goals you want to achieve and what image you
want the organization to portray. This is yours: you don't
arrive at it by vote or consensus It is your dream
Leadership is simply selling that dream". If the members
buy' your dream, believe in your vision. . they will follow
you. ( If you build it, they will come.)
How do you sell your dream? Well, first you must
share it. You must have the courage of your belief to lay it
on the line.' Think of some great leaders, many who risked
much more than embarrassment in sharing their dream. A
most famous dreamer', Martin Luther King Jr., shared his
dream with millions It wasn't a popular dream, it wasn't
even a very safe dream to voice but he believed in it and
was willing to take the chance And because of his
conviction, millions followed him, and together changed
the world If he had chosen, because of fear of rejection,
failure or ridicule, to keep that dream to himself no one
would have known, no one would have followed, and
nothing would have been done The ability to dream and the
courage to share it is the defining indicator of a leader
( Don't our fears that ' someone might laugh' pale in
comparison with this example?)
Once you have shared the dream and inspired the
members, you must offer a viable plan This can be done in
consultation. In fact, if the members have input into the
planning, they often begin to feel the dream is theirs But
remember the original dream and keep the plan ' on target".
With a dream ( target, goal) and a well planned
route to that goal, the members will willingly work towards
achieving it.
There's a saying that, " It's easy to be a
leader. simply get everyone going in the same direction,
then get in front"
In order to renew leadership and infuse new dreams
and ideas into the organization, you require new members.
Without those new ideas, the club will become stale; in a
rut That can be fatal
( A rut is like a grave... only longer)
So it's really a closed circle, isn't it. Membership
depends on leadership and leadership depends on
membership Try to keep both healthy
Conclnsion
Whether it be leaders or followers be sure to
show your appreciation
The organization can show their appreciation to
the leaders by their loyalty, their thanks and by making sure
that they get recognition for their role, both within the
organization and in public Leaders should keep the
members informed and involved and be sure to give thanks
and recognition where it is deserved. ( After all, it may have
been your dream, but you sure didn't do all the work
yourself) Accept and seriously consider input from the
members, and thank them for their contribution, even if it
wasn't used. Nothing turns off members faster that being
ignored
Remember that every member is a representative, a
salesman
As a leader, be sure they are knowledgeable and
prepared to ' sell'. As a member, wear your pin or badge
proudly, gain the knowledge, carry literature and, most
important, be aware that your attitude is the key factor in
recruiting others. If you have complaints or concerns about
the club or the way it is being run. take it to the club and
work to have it improved Don't air your dirty linen in
public
As leaders, find and mentor potential new leaders
As members, find and mentor new members. The success of
an organization is the responsibility of everyone: not just
the executive, the membership coordinator or the publicity
chairman
BE HONESB
BE ENTHUSIASTIC
BE IMUBBOEB!