We as humans must live within a structured framework. Not only does nature agree there must be a skeletal system (in some fashion) to support the rest of the physical frame for all the creatures of the world (even jellyfish have a skeletal system); the world’s natural infrastructure of forests and greenery, oceans and bodies of water, mountains and valleys, weather patterns and the like work congruently with one another in a seamless symphonic fashion. It looks effortless. Mother Nature has it going on.
These frameworks or structures are in place to allow for the world to keep turning. We have adapted and established frameworks to maintain safety, keep walls upright and roofs high, provide step by step processes toward accomplishments and prime for further action based off the reaction, thank you Albert Einstein.
In other words, completion of one task typically segues into further tasks and so on and so forth. There is an ebb and flow from the menial to the skilled. Regardless of level of importance, each task dictates further responsibility.
Upon turning the car keys over to my President Elect mid-summer, and taking a back seat driver position, I am learning more about my leadership skills and my presidency now, than when I was actually ‘in office’. While in office my passion and focus was primarily toward cleaning up in-place procedures, setting a foundation of process, and an ever critical need for strong data management and project plans. I was constantly striving to get the team to ‘talk less’ and ‘communicate more (efficiently). As a group we had too many people passing information over too many platforms and often times to the incorrect or the not full team of who needs to know.
Was I successful? I would say no, not entirely. It took years to develop our chapter, it took years to develop our procedures and in turn any sort of issues we are presently addressing all of these to improve. We are keenly aware of the design flaws. We see the problems and see the end goal; but something so foundational as this — the essential restructuring of our original framework— is not an overnight solution.
Stephanie Cieszkowski (K2M Design), our current President could see the flaws in our design so keenly, our 2014-2015 program year has already moved mountains to work through and alleviate problems. We have developed protocols over the planning months and adhere to them now. Our communication is much more streamlined now than ever before. Our programs were mapped out by subject for the entire year. It’s for all to see and it’s paying off. With the right foundation, these were goals I hoped to achieve in my own presidency, however I either lacked the foundation, knowledge or the gusto to implement them.
Post presidency, I have come to realize my passion to take risks is typically when someone else is the driver, leaving me to navigate. Point put: I am adverse to risk as a leader, but can do it as a close advisor. I am realizing now, I need to learn to take risks while also managing and leading teams. Sure there are consequences, but there can also be great success.
What I did attempt to manage was work flow. I love action items. From the tedious to the complicated there must be a work flow, a communication plan, and an order of operations. There must be clearly defined roles and responsibilities, a hierarchy of accountability. Equally so, there need to be leaders and there need to be work horses. The balance has to be correct.
More than one year later I now understand more is not better; smarter is better; work smarter; not harder. Volunteers are the lifeblood of SMPS. Without extra effort from amazing individuals willing to put in extra hours, our chapter and the organization could not progress, expand and advance. What I realized through my presidency is not all volunteers are created or motivated equally. Not all volunteers have the same time commitment, knowledge and passion.
I for one work best with self-starters as opposed to hand-holders. I am passionate toward those who need little oversight, are full of passion and truly can take an idea, turn it to gold and return it wrapped in a nice bow. I am passionate toward the proactive.
The work horses are still motivated, but need walls to confine them as they run down the straightaway. These are the work-horses; and they are equally as important to the proactive/self-starters. They have the uncanny ability to complete any task menial or complex with relative ease, once they are prodded. What is necessary is constant vigilance. Yet the proactive/self-starter and the work horse must work together within the same structure of the leadership board.
Those on the Northeast Ohio Board and committees account for a solid group of 10 with an additional eight to so volunteers assisting for various ‘on-call’ tasks. All attest to the critical need for team collaboration, individual ownership, responsibility and the need to follow-through.
During my leadership, our board and committees dealt with some never before seen obstacles and some growing pains. Our attempts toward growing certain committees required more management than the effort we could reasonably put forth. Losing key committee members in career changes and a long-time sponsor due to a new business model shift were one-two punches to what we had always known. A ‘good’ problem arose in our sponsorship committee, with a significant 75% increase in annual/monthly sponsors left the beginning of our lunch programs with too much information, too unnecessary presentations and anxious attendees.
With the changes we made, our annual sponsorship and program sponsorship increased considerably. Average attendance at our events increased from 60 on average in 2012 and 2013 to 74 in 2014. Additionally, we added 14 new members during the 2013-2014 program years, and increased member-givebacks via mentoring, philanthropy and CPSM testing reimbursement.
We took a very critical and honest look at our program year and the events we offer our members — specifically happy hours which are typically low attendance events — we scaled back in some areas and increased our focus in others considered more viable. We took a less-is-more approach to our planning.
‘More is not better. Smarter is better.’ With all good things, there are the growing pains. We found ourselves discussing what to do with our program sponsors, how best to keep everyone happy without overburdening our panelist or our members. We faced some logistical fiascos when key volunteers holding key information were unavailable during monthly programs.
This year is full of constant learning and growing and planning for better, not more. We are refining our presentation skills, improving our website, communicating less frequently with our members but with richer detail. Our members are in the know sooner, with streamlined information and with perks to the proactive. We are initiating new registration fee brackets and using more technology in our programs.
Perhaps it’s all the milk we’re drinking at our board meetings, but these bones of Northeast Ohio’s skeletal structure are strong, and they’re getting stronger. Now I just need to realize my own strength and take some risks.