Chapter 11 Developing Leadership

What Makes a Good Leader? Leaders have followers Leaders have followers Motivate, speak language, Motivate, speak language, are trusted, in touch with community

Who Should Lead? Those able to create a base Those able to create a base Public events, meetings, etc. Public events, meetings, etc. Numbers are important! Numbers are important! Coalition example Coalition example

Tips for Developing Leadership Balanced ticket Balanced ticket Diversity of candidates if possible Diversity of candidates if possible AVOID TOKENISM AVOID TOKENISM Take leadership process slow Take leadership process slow Don’t drive people away with bylaws Don’t drive people away with bylaws Integrate two types of leadership: Integrate two types of leadership: Task leadership Task leadership Prepares agendas, recommends objectives, determines questions, etc. Prepares agendas, recommends objectives, determines questions, etc. Maintenance (emotional) leadership Maintenance (emotional) leadership Welcomes people, listens to ideas, encourages conversation, gives positive feedback, etc. Welcomes people, listens to ideas, encourages conversation, gives positive feedback, etc. Balance is key! Balance is key!

Qualities and Skills of Leaders Distinguish between skills (learned) and qualities (innate) Distinguish between skills (learned) and qualities (innate) Qualities of leaders: Qualities of leaders: Commitment, Honesty, Positive Outlook, Confidence, Trust in People, Mistrust of Unaccountable Institutions, Curiosity, Analytical, Critical, Empathetic, Etc. Commitment, Honesty, Positive Outlook, Confidence, Trust in People, Mistrust of Unaccountable Institutions, Curiosity, Analytical, Critical, Empathetic, Etc. Skills of leaders: Skills of leaders: Listening, Diplomacy, Recruitment, Personal Organization, Goal Setting, Etc. Listening, Diplomacy, Recruitment, Personal Organization, Goal Setting, Etc.

The Leadership Development Process Start with personal incentives for leader Start with personal incentives for leader Recognition, new skills, respect, excitement, etc. Recognition, new skills, respect, excitement, etc. Create positions to make leaders Create positions to make leaders Responsibilities, motivation, titles Responsibilities, motivation, titles Committees develop leaders Committees develop leaders Divide up responsibilities to engage people and create leaders Divide up responsibilities to engage people and create leaders

Leadership Maintenance and Growth Evaluations Evaluations Rotate roles Rotate roles Make sure leaders are happy! Make sure leaders are happy! Train new leaders Train new leaders Encourage leaders to set personal goals Encourage leaders to set personal goals

Leaders and Organizers Volunteer leaders and paid staff Volunteer leaders and paid staff Leaders may get public recognition Leaders may get public recognition Paid staff should avoid spotlight themselves Paid staff should avoid spotlight themselves In coalitions, Executive Director often in spotlight In coalitions, Executive Director often in spotlight Let leaders lead! Let leaders lead! Leaders build organization; organizers get other people to join organization Leaders build organization; organizers get other people to join organization Jobs of volunteer leaders: Jobs of volunteer leaders: Represent the constituency (public appearances, etc.), take lead in actions, form board, do most physical work of organization Represent the constituency (public appearances, etc.), take lead in actions, form board, do most physical work of organization Jobs of paid organizers: Jobs of paid organizers: Make proposals, develop workplans, identify leadership roles, recruit new leaders, etc. Make proposals, develop workplans, identify leadership roles, recruit new leaders, etc.

Chapter 12 Planning and Facilitating Meetings

Basic Principles of Meetings Set and reach attainable goals Set and reach attainable goals Give people a sense of their power Give people a sense of their power Change relations of power Change relations of power Move organization forward Move organization forward

Preparation Preparation often longer than meeting Preparation often longer than meeting Plan who will say what Plan who will say what Preemptively decide how to handle disputes Preemptively decide how to handle disputes Planning ahead does NOT mean making decisions in advance Planning ahead does NOT mean making decisions in advance Rather present clearly framed proposals Rather present clearly framed proposals

And the Twelve Elements of the Meeting Planning Process Are… Goals (concrete, realistic, measurable) Goals (concrete, realistic, measurable) Site (familiarity, accessibility, etc.) Site (familiarity, accessibility, etc.) Date/Timing (convenience!) Date/Timing (convenience!) Chairperson (who will facilitate the meeting?) Chairperson (who will facilitate the meeting?) Agenda (list objectives, “action items”, etc.) Agenda (list objectives, “action items”, etc.) FOOD (people like food.) FOOD (people like food.) Background Materials/Proposals Background Materials/Proposals Literacy and Language (not everyone is literate/speaks English) Literacy and Language (not everyone is literate/speaks English)

And the Twelve Elements of the Meeting Planning Process Are… Meeting Roles (Chairperson, note taker, timekeeper, presenters, etc.) Meeting Roles (Chairperson, note taker, timekeeper, presenters, etc.) Give people roles (remember ch. 10); it will create leaders! Give people roles (remember ch. 10); it will create leaders! Room Arrangements/Logistics (chairs, who brings what, etc.) Room Arrangements/Logistics (chairs, who brings what, etc.) Turnout (call people, send flyers, keep records, etc.) Turnout (call people, send flyers, keep records, etc.)

Last but not Least… Meetings should be FUN Meetings should be FUN (avoid this)

Meeting Facilitation Chairperson must be assigned beforehand Chairperson must be assigned beforehand Chairperson should: Chairperson should: Understand goals of meeting and organization Understand goals of meeting and organization Keep group focused Keep group focused Include everyone Include everyone Make decision democratically Make decision democratically Stay upbeat and positive Stay upbeat and positive

What Makes a Good Meeting? Start promptly Start promptly Welcome everybody Welcome everybody Introduce people (ask relevant questions) Introduce people (ask relevant questions) Review agenda Review agenda Rules Rules Minority has right to be heard and try to persuade Minority has right to be heard and try to persuade Majority has right to vote, settle the matter, and move on (after debate) Majority has right to vote, settle the matter, and move on (after debate) Regular majority? Supermajority? Consensus? Regular majority? Supermajority? Consensus?

What Makes a Good Meeting? Bring closure to discussions (formulate a consensus position) Bring closure to discussions (formulate a consensus position) Stick to the agenda Stick to the agenda Avoid detailed decision making Avoid detailed decision making Not just words – ACTION! Not just words – ACTION! Seek commitments Seek commitments Encourage participation Encourage participation Be flexible Be flexible Summarize results and follow up Summarize results and follow up Thank participants Thank participants Close on or before ending time Close on or before ending time

Follow-Up Do it quickly! Do it quickly! Work together to organize notes Work together to organize notes Call members and give highlights of meeting Call members and give highlights of meeting Thank people again (it can’t hurt!) Thank people again (it can’t hurt!) People who attended, brought refreshments, help set up, chairperson, new people who came, etc. People who attended, brought refreshments, help set up, chairperson, new people who came, etc. Record commitments made during meeting Record commitments made during meeting

Participation Dos & Don’ts Do… Do… Welcome people Welcome people Listen to others Listen to others Support facilitator in moving agenda ahead Support facilitator in moving agenda ahead Work to resolve differences Work to resolve differences Encourage new people to speak Encourage new people to speak Don’t… Don’t… Dominate discussion Go on tangents Dwell on previous issues Insist that people support your ideas Complain/discourage others

To Sum it All Up… Solid planning Solid planning Good facilitation Good facilitation Consistent and strong follow-up Consistent and strong follow-up Meetings are crucial to all organizations Meetings are crucial to all organizations

Meeting Checklist _____Have you set concrete, realistic goals? _____Is the site familiar, accessible, representative, and adequate? _____Are the date and time good for those you want to attend? _____Do you have a chairperson for the meeting? Has the chairperson been involved in preparing the agenda or been fully briefed? _____Do you have translators? _____Does the agenda: _____Accomplish the goals? _____Encourage commitment and involvement? _____Provide visible leadership roles? _____Let people have fun? _____Do you have: _____Printed agendas? _____Background materials? _____Written proposals for action? _____Have you asked people to serve as the: _____Chairperson/facilitator? _____Note taker? _____Timekeeper? _____Presenters? _____Tone setters? (to open and close meetings with positive story, joke, or anecdote) _____Greeter? (welcome people and get names and addresses) _____Refreshment servers? _____Have you considered the following logistical matters: _____Chair arrangements? _____Flip charts, markers, and masking tape? _____Easel or chalkboard? _____Outlets for audiovisual equipment? _____Sign-In sheets and table? _____Refreshments? _____Microphone setups? _____Translations logistics? _____Do you have a turnout plan and enough people working on making turnout calls? Do you have a system for comparing those who say they will come with those who actually come? _____Have you arranged for childcare? _____Do you have transportation for those who need it?