Leadership @ the Next Level

Move Up/Down/In/Out: It’s about when to volunteer when no one else is volunteering, or doing something that no one else seems to be taking care of. Learning that often the most eff ective leaders are the ones who let others move up, while you take a back seat. It’s about sharing yourself and being part of the group, while stepping out of your normal comfort zones.

Look For It: It’s about using a critical eye, thinking ahead, and planning for what you know from experience is coming. It’s not about heading off without looking around you and saying ...hmm... what needs to be done here or what is going on here that I might need to jump into?

You Are THEM: It’s about understanding that you are now “them”; as a member of the executive /committee board, you are the organization and if there’s blame or praised to be received, it falls on you. As the old saying goes, “The buck stops here.”

Sniff It Out: It’s about not only seeing what’s going on and letting the information come to you, but realizing “what” needs to be found out, and taking the appropriate steps to discover the issues/concerns/information.

Hear Them: It’s about hearing as well as listening, and taking what you hear and actually using it. Distinguishing what is best for the group and what the group thinks is best. Ensuring that individuals within the organization feel like what they have contributed is valuable and useful.

Find Your Voice: It’s about speaking when necessary, and using your voice eff ectively and appropriately to help and support the organization/membership.

Truly Care: It’s about feeling it in your heart and believing in what you do 100%. You are the ones who will inspire the individuals and the groups to make this organization what it can become. Without caring, the spark will never catch.

Open Your Mind: It’s about being willing to say that you were wrong, changing your viewpoint, and fl exing for the greater good of the group. Learning to see things in a new light and being willing to change when change is needed.

Reaching Out: It’s more than just the position – it’s about making a diff erence in as many people as you can. Every person you come in contact with forms an image of the organization, and every word you say, action you make, and thing you do will represent the organization, whether you intend it or not.

Letting Go: It’s about knowing when to move on and not dwell on something, and knowing when it’s time to let someone else take the lead.