1. The Art of Not Knowing Everything The Role of Paid Staff in Coalitions Featuring the Sad, Sad Stories of... Paul EvensenShannon Weatherly Senior Vice PresidentPolicy Analyst Community Systems GroupOffice of National Drug Control Policy

2. Introducing… Paul Evensen Paul Evensen Former Coalition Leader Evaluator Trainer/Speaker/Facilitator Perpetual Student (will he ever graduate?!) Shannon Weatherly Shannon Weatherly Former Coalition Leader Policy Analyst/DFC Doer/Contract Nerd Mental Health Counselor Yoga Instructor

3. Objectives 1. 1. Clarify the appropriate roles of paid staff in coalition work. 2. 2. Highlight the benefits of engaging in healthy role development for staff (....and share our personal history of traps, mistakes, and lessons learned.)

4. Group Discussion In your DFC-funded coalition: What is the current role of paid staff? Are coalition members clear about the role of staff?   Has their been a specific conversation?   Does your job description address the issue directly?   What expectations did coalition members have when your coalition transitioned from “all volunteer” and “unfunded” to DFCSP grantee?

5. Group Discussion In your DFC-funded coalition: How much of the coalition’s current work relies solely on paid staff to get done? What is working about the current role of paid staff? What is NOT working about the current role of paid staff?

6. If You Hear Nothing Else Today…. Hear this… You cannot and should not do this alone. You cannot and should not do this alone. There is danger is being the only “doer”. You do not have to know everything. The coalition is not about you. The coalition is not about you. Perfect the art of “facilitating from behind.” Be prepared to receive little or no credit for your hard work. Make peace now with the fact that you have the world’s most rewarding and yet, thankless job.

7. Paid Staff Should Not… (do anything Shannon and Paul did including the following) Plan and facilitate all coalition meetings Do everything because “it’s easier that way” View members (or allow members to see themselves) as advisors and not doers Make unilateral decisions about the coalition’s work Allow themselves to become known as the only expert in the coalition

8. Paid Staff Should Not… Always be the spokesperson for the coalition Be the primary architect of planning products Be the primary implementer or act alone Deny members a chance to act or take any action a member should have or could have taken Repeat any of the other major mistakes made by Shannon and Paul...

9. Consequences of the “Should Not’s” The coalition becomes all about you Removes responsibility/input from members Excludes the greater community The coalition IS the paid staff Sets up your coalition for failure if you leave Shuts down the very process that is a coalition & creates stagnation

10. Consequences of the “Should Not’s” Members will leave because they have no “real” roles (does your coalition really need one more advisor?) The coalition will lose (or fail to gain) real political power and influence Staff will burnout

11. Paid Staff Should’s… Include members in the tiniest of details Encourage their voice to be heard Match member skills, interests, and desires to tasks Align resources and skills with members to succeed in their task or role Support and problem solve with members to achieve results

12. Paid Staff Should’s… Connect and facilitate efforts behind-the-scenes Educate the community on the real role of coalition Ensure the “pay off” is there for the member’s participation Let members lead in big and small ways Facilitate the creation of leaders

13. Consequences of the Should’s More people are able to do the coalition’s work Members feel valued and stay involved Creativity flourishes Leaders lead and new ones are created Leads to community change and outcomes

14. Consequences of the Should’s Increases community buy-in and input More likely to obtain local resources because of varied community involvement If you leave, your coalition lives on and (hopefully) never skips a beat Decreases staff burnout and turnover

15. How to Quickly Re-Define the Role of Paid Staff Start with Meeting Management Who sets the agenda for coalition meetings? Who facilitates the coalition’s meetings? Who makes decisions about meetings? Who communicates about/before/after/in-between meetings? Paid staff role(s) before, during and in between meetings?

16. How to Quickly Communicate Paid Staff’s Appropriate Role Use Shannon and Paul as “an excuse.” To raise the issue. To have an immediate conversation about paid staff and volunteer roles. They have to be told: Paid staff (you) can shock them with the news that they are doers, or You can find a “proxy advocate.” Who is best to send this message to the coalition?

17. How to Quickly Communicate Paid Staff’s Appropriate Role Don’t do stuff! [No, we don’t mean go on strike!] Do not enable an unhealthy role for paid staff. Be willing to let things go undone:   So that the process can “correct itself.”   So that members have to weigh the consequences of current action plans, assignments, and roles.   So that there is accountability.

18. We Got a DFC Grant!! Now What? What is a coalition? What is a coalition? A community problem solving process that is larger than any one person. What is process? What is process? What groups do over & over again that become the norm, habit, or expectation. Habits form the routines, business model, and way of doing things in a coalition. Habits form the routines, business model, and way of doing things in a coalition. They are beyond staff & can be done with or without paid staff. Written: By-laws, rules, regulations Unwritten: What the coalition naturally does

19. Coalition + Active Membership = Process The process of a coalition: The process of a coalition: Cannot be done alone Is not a table of people who care Remains no matter who is/is not present Creates a safe environment for creative problem solving that involves everyone Is facilitated by a humble, relaxed, and largely behind-the-scenes paid staff

20. You Have Things that Are Working You got the grant, so… You got the grant, so… Where are you seeing progress already? Where are you seeing progress already? Can you find the “there” there and use it as model for other parts of the coalition’s work? Can you find the “there” there and use it as model for other parts of the coalition’s work? Does my team even understand “coalition”? What can I do to help them learn? Does my team even understand “coalition”? What can I do to help them learn?

21. Some Final Thoughts Assessing & shaping your management style over time is essential. Assessing & shaping your management style over time is essential. Choosing to not stand in the way, but to facilitate movement. Choosing to not stand in the way, but to facilitate movement. If it’s about you, then you’re in the way. If it’s about you, then you’re in the way. Don’t act out of fear, but don’t be afraid to act. Don’t act out of fear, but don’t be afraid to act. You are not alone. Connect with your members, community, State & Federal friends. You are not alone. Connect with your members, community, State & Federal friends.

22. Questions? Shannon Weatherly P: 202.395.6774 E: sweatherly@ondcp.eop.gov sweatherly@ondcp.eop.gov Workshop materials also available at: www.ondcp.gov/dfc