Chapter 2: How to Be a Good Section Leader
"Few people will agree to take a job if it has no foreseeable end point." -
Anonymous
It is nice to have a section officer for every job, but quality is important and resources, especially in small sections, are limited. As you review the following menu of section officers, consider which jobs you really need to run your section without overextending your members and volunteers. Develop a clear understanding of each officer's responsibilities and tasks according to both section bylaws and section tradition.
A Word about Committees
The American Heritage Dictionary defines a committee as "a group of people officially delegated to perform a function, as investigating, considering, reporting, or acting on a matter."
For a large section with more than 300 members, a committee is a good way to handle specific tasks requiring broad input.
Committees are a great way to involve new volunteers and get them acquainted with the workings of a section.
Small sections with no more than 10 to 20 active members may find it difficult to have a committee for every job at hand. Decide which task requires broad input and committee involvement.
Think twice before establishing a committee: Does the charge justify tying up volunteer time in additional committee meetings? Often, already active volunteers end up in still another committee taking time away from their other tasks.
|
All elected and appointed offices within a section involve some work, but none should be overwhelming. In recruiting prospective future leaders or officers for your section, avoid extreme statements. For example, don't tell people, "Oh, there's nothing to it, it hardly takes any work at all!" Also avoid saying, "I'll do it again, but only because I can't find anybody else to take my place." Bemoaning the lack of interest in a position is a
self-fulfilling prophesy - it's much better to market your position as important and interesting.
A Word about Committees
The American Heritage Dictionary defines a committee as "a group of people officially delegated to perform a function, as investigating, considering, reporting, or acting on a matter."
For a large section with more than 300 members, a committee is a good way to handle specific tasks requiring broad input.
Committees are a great way to involve new volunteers and get them acquainted with the workings of a section.
Small sections with no more than 10 to 20 active members may find it difficult to have a committee for every job at hand. Decide which task requires broad input and committee involvement.
Think twice before establishing a committee: Does the charge justify tying up volunteer time in additional committee meetings? Often, already active volunteers end up in still another committee taking time away from their other tasks.
The President: Role and Responsibilities
The president of a section is the point person, the prime mover, the communication conduit. The president is the pusher, assigner, and delegator. The president should inspire others and direct them in their duties without being overbearing. Involve other officers. Invest in them. If they are your likely successors, teach and prepare them to be president. Remember that identifying, nurturing, and preparing new potential leaders is part of your job.
As president, you are expected to express the mission and goals of the organization. You should be knowledgeable about the whole club and understand your section's role within the Green Mountain Club. As section president, you will receive copies of GMC board of directors' packets for quarterly GMC board meetings. Note that the only other person in your section who automatically receives the board packet is your representative to the GMC board of directors. This GMC director is an officer of the section with an important role to play. The president and the section director should stay in touch on club-wide issues.
As president, you should communicate regularly with other officers. Many presidents find that it is beneficial to have an executive committee, consisting of the officers, committee chairs, and possibly other core section volunteers, who meet periodically to plan and monitor section activities and develop agenda for upcoming meetings.
Well in advance of your section's annual meeting, you should appoint an independent nominating committee (or person) to select a slate of officers for the coming year. Some section bylaws require that the chair of the nominating committee be elected as part of the slate of officers for the coming business year.
A Word on Job Descriptions
Some section bylaws give brief descriptions of the duties and responsibilities of a section officer or committee chairperson (see Appendix A and B). Other bylaws only describe how they are elected, how many terms they may serve, and what functions they have. There are no standard job descriptions for each GMC section office. However there is a general understanding of what tasks each section officer is expected to perform.
The sample job descriptions in this chapter reflect this common understanding. At the same time, they are not all-inclusive. An officer's or chairperson's duties may vary considerably from section to section. Understand the sample job descriptions as checklists. As always, consider what's best for your section and how to do it in your section's traditional framework, with the volunteers available.
|
Sample Job Description for GMC Section President
- Organize and conduct executive committee and planning meetings.
- Conduct section annual meeting. This involves either organizing the meeting or working closely with an annual meeting committee to write an agenda, advertise to members, make xeroxes, etc. Chair the business meeting portion of the annual meeting.
- Attend other section meetings as needed.
- Attend the GMC club-wide annual meeting and report in writing and orally on section activities.
- Appoint a nominating committee (if not elected; see section bylaws), and provide the committee with job descriptions.
- Write president's letter for outings schedule and/or newsletter (optional).
- Write miscellaneous correspondence as necessary.
- Communicate with section officers to make sure the section is running smoothly.
- Act as liaison with GMC headquarters in Waterbury Center, Vermont.
- Attend club-wide leadership meetings.
The Vice President: Role and Responsibilities
The vice presidency can be a good training ground for future presidents, but it should not be assumed or required that a vice president will immediately or automatically step up to the presidency. The vice president may be given special responsibilities by the president, based on the special needs of the section. Together, the vice president and president form a team that sets the tone for the section and assures that newcomers are greeted and welcomed. Their example will be followed by other section members.
Sample Job Description for GMC Section Vice President
- Perform all duties listed for the president should the president be unavailable.
- Notify new officers and chairpersons of their duties following the section annual meeting.
- Perform specific tasks that may occur in the course of routine section business. For example, the vice president may take over certain supporting functions in planning and running meetings, and can help the president and other section officers in performing their duties. Such activities may include (1) collecting trip reports and taking them to each planning meeting; (2) chairing the annual meeting committee, or (3) annually tallying trip reports to determine the most active trip participant, most active trail worker, and most active trip leader.
The Secretary: Role and Responsibilities
The secretary takes minutes of all meetings, including meetings of the section's executive committee, and is responsible for retaining and passing on the official copies of the minutes. The secretary may also be in charge of keeping and maintaining all past section records and archives.
Some sections have a corresponding secretary who is responsible for writing letters, as well as a recording secretary who is responsible for taking meeting minutes. This can be the same person. In any case, the section should be clear about who is expected to write what.Sample Job Description for GMC Section Secretary
- Attend section annual meeting, take minutes, and present minutes from the previous year.
- Attend section executive committee meetings and take minutes.
- Prepare revised printed materials which have been approved by the executive committee.
- Attend section trip planning meetings. The taking of minutes at most meetings is optional, but encouraged.
The Basics of Taking Minutes of a Meeting
Minutes are a formal way to record the proceedings of a meeting. Not every meeting requires minutes to be taken, but
minutes are required at any meeting where a vote takes place. For example, the written schedule of events generated in a planning meeting is a document by itself and no further recording is needed. At the start of a meeting there should be a clear understanding whether minutes need to be taken or not. Typical meetings that require minutes be taken are executive committee meetings or section annual meetings. Minutes do not have to be long or fancy. To be complete, minutes should contain the following:
- Date and location of meeting.
- Time meeting started.
- Who attended (may also be covered by an attached sign_up sheet).
- Actions taken, e.g. approval of previous meeting's minutes, acceptance of treasurer's report, motions acted upon. For motions acted upon, include text of motions, names of who made the motion and who seconded it, and the vote result.
- Record important recommendations, points of agreement, and "to_dos" (e.g. who said they would write a letter of thanks).
- Time meeting adjourned.
- Date and location of next meeting if it is known.
|
The Treasurer: Role and Responsibilities
A treasurer is the custodian of a section's funds. Treasurers track income and expenses, pay bills, develop a budget, and in some sections manage investments. It is usually the treasurer who reports on income, expenditures, and cash balance at a section's annual meeting.
Some sections may find it advantageous to combine the functions of treasurer and membership chair. Much of the same administrative work is needed, for example maintaining a membership database.
Sample Job Description for GMC Section Treasurer
- Keep accurate records of paid memberships (work closely with membership chair) and extra gifts or donations.
- Make deposits into checking and savings accounts.
- Keep accurate check records.
- Manage section investments (if any).
- Pay section income and sales taxes (if any) and file any required tax reports.
- Pay all bills promptly.
- Send 75% of any dues collected by the section to the GMC office in Waterbury Center, Vermont, on a regular basis.
- Develop and oversee a section budget.
- Attend section executive committee and section trip planning meetings.
- Attend section annual meeting and report on section finances.
The Membership Chair: Role and Responsibilities
The membership chair is responsible for maintaining a section's membership records. Membership chairs work with headquarters to process new members and coordinate annual renewal notices. Many sections maintain a computer database of their members. Note that headquarters maintains a membership database for your section and handles new membership processing for both at-large members and those who elect to join a section. Close cooperation with the main club membership program is very important and helpful to the membership chair. This position shares membership information and works closely with the section treasurer.
The membership chair works with other section leaders on gaining and welcoming new members to your section. Consider the following:
- How were current members encouraged to join?
- How are new people encouraged to join?
- How does the section attract younger members?
- What is the section's percentage of actively participating members? (A good target would be 20 to 25%.)
- How can you get passive members to participate in section activities?
There are several ways to improve membership participation, including educational programs, social events, and outings designed for specific interests (e.g. families with young children). Note that the main club has an education coordinator. Your section may have an education chair or other people interested in education programs; the section director can help with further networking.
It is important for the membership chair to be a good delegator. There are small, discrete jobs which can have a positive impact on the future health of the section if done consistently and with a personal touch. For example, somebody could take the job of sending a copy of the section's newsletter and a membership form to new folks who attend a section event. In any case, new people who express interest in your section should receive membership notices.
Some sections may find it advantageous to combine the functions of treasurer and membership chair. Much of the same administrative work is needed, for example maintaining a membership database.
Sample Job Description for GMC Section Membership Chair
- Maintain up-to-date membership records in cooperation with GMC's membership coordinator, and make member list available to section officers on request. Members may also receive a new list once each year.
- Keep in touch with the section treasurer regarding paid memberships.
- Encourage new prospects to join the section.
- As appropriate, encourage former members to rejoin the section.
- Find new sources to broaden membership base.
- Attend section executive committee meetings and section outings meetings.
- Report to the membership at the section annual meeting.
Other Section Leader Positions
Sample Job Description for GMC Section Director
- Attend GMC board of directors' meetings to represent your section.
- Report to the executive committee regarding business transacted at the GMC board of directors' meetings.
- Attend section executive committee meetings and section outings meetings.
- Report to the membership at the section annual meeting.
- Present the section report at the club-wide annual meeting on behalf of the section president (optional).
Sample Job Description for GMC Section Alternate Director
- In case of the unavailability of the director, all of the duties listed for director shall become the duties of the alternate director.
Sample Job Description for GMC Section Trails and Shelters Chair
- Work closely with the GMC Trail Management Committee and field programs staff. Any trail and shelter work resulting in significant permanent changes (for example trail relocations) needs careful planning with and often approval by these entities before it may be started.
- Plan and conduct trailwork outings (including spring and fall walk_throughs and additional outings as needed) and forward work reports to GMC office in a timely manner.
- Coordinate trail and shelter work plans with the GMC Trail Management Committee and field programs staff.
- Attend section executive committee meetings and section outings meetings.
- Report to the membership at the section annual meeting.
- Learn and comply with trail standards defined by the GMC Long Trail System Management Plan and GMC Maintenance Manual. Work with GMC field staff to organize workshops or arrange volunteer participation in workshops offered by the club or U.S. Forest Service.
Sample Job Description for GMC Section Outings Chair
- Organize and oversee section outings activities. The outings chair may work through an outings committee or use periodical planning meetings to establish the desired outings program.
- Arrange for outings planning meetings [X] times a year. Generate an outings schedule
including date, trip description, length and difficulty, leader, etc.
- Arrange timely publication of the outings schedule (See Chapter 4: Communications).
- Recruit, educate, and train outing leaders. Provide outing leaders with reference literature such as the GMC Trip Leader's Handbook.
- Provide outings leaders with participation lists, trip report forms and other outings-related material that may be available from the GMC.
- Keep informed about and pass on specific outings rules (e.g. hiking restrictions during mud season).
- Attend section executive committee meetings, section outings meetings, and section annual meetings.
- Keep statistics from participation lists for annual meeting.
- Report to the section at annual meeting.
Note: Many of the above mentioned tasks will need close cooperation with, or may be taken care of by, the section's publicity or newsletter chair.
Sample Job Description for GMC Section Recreation Chair
- Make arrangements for the section's annual meeting, including reservations for meeting place, coordinating food among members, equipment needed for speaker, room set_up. A small committee may assist chairperson with these tasks.
- Make arrangements for any other special events not covered by specific chairpersons or leaders by assisting with any equipment, food, etc.
Note: Not all GMC sections have a recreation chair. Obviously, the meetings listed above may be arranged by other section officers or volunteers.
Sample Job Description for GMC Section Publicity/Newsletter Chair
- Oversee section's publicity communications.
- Establish contacts with local newspapers, radio, and TV station, and GMC headquarters for publication of section news.
- Generate and publish the section's newsletter.
- Work closely with section's outings chair to publish outings schedule.
- Solicit and/or write articles for newspaper on section activities.
- Obtain trip write-ups and photos from trip leaders.
- Have newsletter printed and mailed out. This may include:
- obtaining labels from GMC headquarters;
- generating and maintaining a list of other newsletter recipients including newspapers, GMC headquarters, and complimentary copies;
- purchasing necessary postage stamps or coordinating bulk mailing;
- sending newsletter to Long Trail News at appropriate time.
- Establish section electronic communication which may include:
- maintaining a member e-mail list;
- maintaining section profile on the GMC main club website (www.greenmountainclub.org);
- working with a section volunteer familiar with electronic communication and the Internet to install and maintain a section website.
- Attend section executive committee meetings and section outings meetings.
- Report to section at annual meeting.