Invest in Neighborhoods Inc. Invest in Neighborhoods Inc.
TRANSITION: The Changing of the Guard
NEW PRESIDENT POINTERS
LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM GEESE
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
HOW TO RUN A MEETING
MEETING TIPS
RECORD-KEEPING PRACTICES
One of the first things you will do as a new president is to begin thinking of yourself and your newly acquired position in a different light. Take the time to seek out information on what tasks you should be doing and how to do them. As a new president, you're expected to ask lots of questions, attend lots of workshops to gather firsthand information, and confer with fellow council presidents. If you do not, you will soon be lost in a maze of acronyms and terminology that everyone assumes you understand.
(1) Re-assess your own personal goals and priorities. Your personal goals and
priorities will usually fit nicely within the larger scope of your council's; however, when your personal goals conflict with council's, you will still be expected to represent the majority position. If you cannot comfortably
support a position your community wishes to take, allow some other council officer who is in agreement to stand in for you. Remember that as president of the community council, you represent the community as a whole, not just your own interests.
(2) Realize that your council-related priorities will change as you move from being "just a member" to the person everyone looks to for information and guidance.
(3) Develop a good sense of self, self-confidence, self-assurance, and self-esteem; you will need lots of all of them.
(4) Know yourself and your limits. Be willing to alienate some folks if necessary, and, at the same time, be willing to swallow hard and concede to others' wishes.
(5) Assess your own leadership effectiveness. Take a look at "Leadership Lessons from Geese."
(6) Do not take people's actions or comments personally. They will often just want to vent their frustration(s) and will see you as someone who might actually listen.
(7) Learn to delegate and share responsibility. Doing this will invest other members' time and energy which will pay off in more involved members and less stress for you.
(8) Surround yourself with willing, capable workers. This is much easier said than done, but it is essential to any successes your council will experience. Thank them publicly every time you get the chance.
(1) Call a special meeting to which all members are invited, complete with refreshments, for the express purposes of (A) thanking past officers and committee chairs; (B) welcoming new officers and committee chairs; (C) sharing pertinent information; (D) encouraging continued participation; (E) charting council's short- and long-term goals and priorities -- the more people involved with this activity, the better; and (F) officially transferring records and materials.
(2) Have a separate meeting a day or two earlier with the outgoing president to reinforce his or her participation and to insure the success of the larger gathering. This is critical for continuity of operations, especially if there is no provision in the bylaws which requires past presidents or other officers to carry over their involvement past their term(s) of office.
(2a) Both (1) and (2) can be especially difficult if the outgoing president and/or other officers are reluctantly stepping down or if there are bad feelings among various members who were not elected to fill positions. Assess the climate of your organization and work to improve it. Remember, though, that time makes a significant difference in how we view things, so allow wounds to heal, hearts to get off sleeves, skins to thicken, etc.
(3) Contact various city representatives -- City Council, Cincinnati Neighborhood Action Strategy (CNAS), Economic Development, Recreation Commission, etc., and introduce yourself as the new president of your council. Do this even if you know them personally. Your position as a community council president significantly changes the types and amount of information which will be shared with you.
(4) Do the same thing with the local media -- newspaper, television, and radio. Establishing contact at the outset of your tenure makes future contacts easier and more productive.
(5) Attend workshops, meetings, and other training opportunities. Meet formally and/or informally with other council presidents to gain additional insight.
(6) There are several types of materials you will need to transfer during a changing of the guard:
(7) When your tenure as president is over, be as graceful, helpful, and considerate in leaving the post as you would have liked others to have been when you came into office.
Back to Manual Table of Contents
