Leadership Articles

ELECTING LEADERS, NOT JUST OFFICERS

Often when Grange officers are elected, they are chosen because they want the office or no one else will say they will accept the office. When there is competition for the office, popularity, relationships, and friendships are normally the basis for selection of Grange officers. From the Community/Subordinate Grange to the National Grange these elements are often the deciding factors in the election of officers.

Some Granges limit the consecutive terms of their officers through their bylaws, while others limit them through tradition or unwritten rules. However, most don't limit the terms except by the vote of the members or the willingness of the member to accept the office.

Officers are elected to carry out specific duties that are outlined in our rules and traditions and they are also expected to be leaders. Many members believe that merely by being elected, the officer becomes a leader, but that isn't true.

Leaders are people who build teams to accomplish the goals of the Grange. They empower the membership to excel and encourage members to improve themselves. They have organizational skills and understand that putting the best person in the right place for the job is crucial to success. They share their vision of the future and are positive about achieving the vision. They educate and enthuse the members to work together to achieve the task no matter how difficult.

Imagine the possibilities if we elected officers based upon their leadership skills and what our Grange needs rather than popularity and other "traditional" methods. A Grange that needs to be more involved with their community needs a leader who will build a team to reach out to the community. A Grange that needs new members needs a leader who will build a team that makes all members and visitors feel welcome and make the time spent at the Grange enjoyable.

Dynamic Granges have dynamic leadership, ineffective Granges have ineffectual leadership. As a Grange member take the time to decide where you want your Grange to go and then chose leaders who can take you there. Chose leaders based on what results you want for your Grange and the skills potential leaders possess.

Look at yourself before the elections. If you've been an officer for a long time, are you approaching your duties with enthusiasm or just going through the motions. Realize that change is good in that when you have a new office, you will need to learn new things. When you learn new skills you will grow as a leader. Don't let your fellow members trap you into not growing into the leader you can become.

Look at your entire membership. Does that new member have skills your Grange needs? Does that inactive member possess abilities that can help your Grange. Is the quiet member full of new ideas? If you look at your complete Grange members, you may discover potential leaders.

Electing officers based upon anything other than who can do the best job of filling the needs of your Grange is unfair to your Grange. While many Subordinate/Community Granges don't have a lot of choices for officers, if you look for leadership skills rather than more tradition factors often you will find a choice.

FRIENDS AND FUN

People join the Grange for a wide variety of reasons. Some because of our legislative programs, some for a community service program, while others join because of family. However, according to research the two top reasons people join organizations like ours are: 1. To be with or make new friends; 2. To have fun.

These two reasons are needs that everyone has. Who doesn’t want to be with friends in a place filled with laughter and enjoyable activities? The Grange should be the one place in your community where friendship and fun are a part of all activities. From meetings to fund-raisers and community involvement, all aspects of Grange participation should be looked upon as an opportunity for friends to enjoy being together.

Involvement in the community through legislative action or community service adds value to your members by giving them the opportunity to make a difference. Women’s, Junior, and Youth activities add to the Grange experience for many members. Leadership development benefits our members in many ways outside the Grange as well as within the Order. However, if your Grange isn’t filled with friendship and fun, it will be difficult to attract and retain members.

No matter how much fun you have at Grange now, you must take a good look at how your members react to a new person. Regardless of whether it is a visitor, guest, new member, or current member, how do your members react to someone walking in the door. Do they immediately go to them and welcome them, or do they let them make the first move?

It is every member’s responsibility to make everyone who walks through the Grange door welcome. Don’t wait to see if they are friendly, go up and introduce yourself. Let the person know that you are glad that they are there. Remember that friends don’t let friends stand by themselves. Every member should try to personally greet everyone who comes through their Grange door.

Be sure to smile. A room full of smiles is far more inviting to a potential member. Smiles lead to a relaxed atmosphere where laughter and good times are had by all.

Every Grange event or activity should be enjoyable. Did you leave your last meeting feeling that you’d had fun? Was your last fund-raiser a great time for all participating? Did the community see your members enjoying themselves during your last service project? If not, you need to stress having fun.

Develop the attitude that you will have fun at Grange and encourage other members to share in the fun. Lift the spirits of those around you and make sure everyone is a part of the fun.

Grange fellowship is really all about friendship and having fun. If you want people to participate in your Grange activities and really become part of the Grange family, you have to make friendship and fun a consistent part of your Grange. The rest of your Grange activities and programs will grow, and affect more people in a positive manner, when your members are having a great time with their friends.

DON'T BE ONE OF THE SMALL PEOPLE

Being an effective Grange leader means that you can’t be one of the small people. Does the preceding sentence catch your eye?

Think about all the presidents of the United States from the years 1900 to 2000. In that 100-year period only three presidents truly changed America. Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Ronald W. Reagan each had a differing political agenda and each was successful in changing the face of American politics and the role our country played in the world.

The one most important single trait that these three shared was their unswerving optimism about the USA. They believed in the power of the average American to get the job done and that the future was going to be bright. They lived their optimism and communicated it to everyone who came in contact with them. Each of them also defended their allies against personal attacks even when it might have been politically expedient to abandon them.

All three came under vicious attack from their opponents at times. Each suffered personal smear campaigns and character assassination attempts and each retained their optimism that right would prevail. They refused to sink to the level of their adversaries.

The Grange is no different that any other organization. Sometimes it seems that a handful of members are dedicated Grangers, but are willing to engage in rumor, innuendo, or even outright misrepresentation of the facts in order to further their own agenda.

In order to become effective, each Grange leader must adopt the optimism of TR, FDR, and RWR and make it part of their Grange life. Many Granges sit at the crossroads waiting for something to help them. Effective leaders have to communicate the optimism that there is hope. Pessimism, and negativity can only survive when Grange leaders allow it to. The importance of this is shown as State Grange leaders cannot change a local Granges’ attitude, but the local leaders can.

That includes the necessity of defending those being attacked by others. In our organization, the power of the membership to tell someone to stop is very powerful. Few members will continue doing something that the majority has defined as bad for the Grange. However, it is often up to the leadership to voice the desires of the membership. When personal attacks are allowed by inaction, it invariable leads to a decline of the organization.

Effective leaders have to raise themselves above a personal agenda and believe in the bright future of the Grange. They have to be one of the big people who endure the occasional sling or barb and stay focused on leading.

TRAVEL OBSERVATIONS ON UNITY

The future success of the Grange requires internal unity. While the success of the Subordinate/Community Grange is essential and necessary before success at Pomona, State, and National Granges can be achieved, we must unify ourselves.

It has often been a practice for Grange leaders to blame other levels for their failures or for unpopular decisions. State and National Grange are blamed for raising dues, or for not providing enough contests or programs for use by local Granges. Subordinate/Community Granges are blamed for not doing what is needed to create growth. Members blame and accuse each other of trying to change everything or of stopping important adaptations within the Grange.

It is time to stop blaming each other as that only fragments our organization. Being united will bring about a positive and supportive attitude and create an atmosphere where great achievement is not only possible but attainable.

The foundation of the Grange is the Subordinate/Community Grange. Without it there is no viable Grange. The new direction from the National Grange is that we will work together with the State Granges to give tools to the local Grange so that they can create growth. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, the National Grange is committed to aiding the local Grange to find it's own unique style of success. Each Grange will be as unique as their community and yet still have an identity as part of a great national organization.

This new approach does shift responsibility for success at the Subordinate/Community Grange to their local leadership. No longer can they just use a national or state program and then proclaim that failure is due to that higher level. However, it also increases the responsibility of the State and National Grange to provide tools and help that the local Grange requests.

We are interdependent and if we truly want long-term growth and prosperity of the Grange we must be united. Subordinate/Community Granges must meet the needs of their members, families, and community. Pomona Granges must provide hands on assistance to their local Granges and focus on helping with the legislative, business and the health and needs of their local Granges. State Granges must provide leadership on state issues, relevant programing, and hands on help to their Granges. The National Grange must continue providing national leadership, developing new materials, and sending leaders into the states where they are requested to assist.

Grangers must be open to new ideas and methods of communication. Our leaders and members must work together. The benefits of having a National and State Grange available to help the local Grange is tremendous. Granges are never alone unless they choose to withdraw from communication.

We must all become problem solvers. It is positive to talk about problems when you are looking for solutions, but realize that it becomes destructive to only affix blame or doubt upon others. When we tear down the character or reputation of fellow members, we harm our Grange.

As a local Grange leader your challenge is to build and strengthen the relationship with Pomona, State, and National Granges in order to benefit your Grange. Look for solutions when you encounter problems and seek out the changes that will allow your Grange to have sustainable growth into the future. We are all in the same boat, it only makes sense to paddle together in the same direction.

WHAT HAS THE NATIONAL GRANGE DONE FOR US?

“What has National Grange or State Grange done for us?” is a question I often hear from members. While there are a multitude of answers for the question including the intrinsic value of having a National and State organization to aid the local Grange, I will focus on one single department.

The National Grange Leadership/Membership Development Department is charged with creating materials and training members. Building the leadership skills of our membership and increasing active membership in each Community Grange are the ultimate goals for this department.

There are eleven membership workshops which range from “Adding Value to Grange Membership” to “Four Steps to Successful Recruitment of New Members” to “Targeting Your Audience.” Many of these workshops explore different aspects of creating an attractive reason to become a Grange member. Others explore how to revitalize your Grange by keeping your current members and reaching out into your community. The “Four Steps to Successful Recruitment” workshop is available on the National Grange website and the accompaning training brochure is available from the Sales office free of charge.

There is one looping powerpoint presentation designed for fairs and other public events titled “Why the Grange?” This covers the basic reasons someone might be interested in the Grange.

There are 15 leadership development workshops. These are also geared toward building membership. Personal leadership skills and team building are common themes between these workshops. The titles range from “Choose Your Altitude” to “Meetings Members Want to Attend” to “Start the Snowball Rolling in Your Grange.” Several workshops have scripts and/or workbooks that accompany them. Two presentations are currently available to download from the website, “Resolutions for Grangers” and “Parliamentary Procedure Simplified.”

Programs include the two-day program Circle of Leadership which has seven workshops, six of which can stand alone. Creating a Bright Grange Future is a day long program using appreciative inquiry as it’s base. Creating Grange Growth is a single day two part program to organize and reorganize Granges. Introduction to Opportunity is a three-part day long program which is designed to be a Master’s/Grange leader training program. The Start a Fire Burning in Your Grange Program is a day long program with a workbook that can be used by a Pomona or State to assist their Community Granges.

There are 40 workshops that can be used by your Grange as of March 1. You can have a workshop done by the National Grange by working through your State Grange Master. You can also request a State Grange leader to present these or even use these in your Grange yourself.

Other materials include: membership application brochures, family membership application brochures, 4 Steps of Successful Recruitment of New Members by Being a Grange Ambassador training brochure, Building the Grange Across America - 2006 Idea book, Get Them Up and Learning - Lecturer’s guide book which are all available free either through the National Grange Sales Department or for downloading from the website. There are also “Success Sheets” and workbooks for several workshops available. In addition, a leadership and a membership tip of the month is emailed to any member who would like to receive it.

To learn more, check out the National Grange website www.nationalgrange.org or contact your State Grange Membership Director or State Master or contact the Leadership/Membership Development Director Ed Luttrell at membership@nationalgrange.org.

What has National Grange done for us is a question that is answered by another question, “Which Leadership/Membership tools have you used to build your Grange?” If you don’t see what you are looking for, talk to your State Membership Director or Master and they will work with me to create a tool that will fill your specific need.

WHO IS LEADING?

In the Grange, as a grassroots organization, leading can and often is done by any member. Leadership is not limited to the officers and committee chairs. Virtually every active member is a leader is some fashion.

However, not enough of our members realize that they are leaders and it is imperative that each member understands that they are the leaders of their Grange. From the Master to the Junior Chairman, each has a task to do as a leader. Only by each of us learning how to be a better leader and then putting those new skills into practice will we create growth in our Subordinate or Community Grange.

Leading is showing others a path and then encouraging them to join you on that path. Leadership is pulling your fellow members with you and encouraging them to pull others as well. Every member can lead from within the Grange, if they will only stand up.

I lead from the back" is a comment we've all heard many times over the years. Members need to understand that leading from the back is not possible. As an example, try to push a chain. When you need to move a chain, you either pick it up or pull it to where you want it. It is next to impossible to get a chain to move forward to a new position by pushing it.

Using this symbolism is appropriate as each individual member is a link in our organization. They each have opinions, voices, and votes. You can lead them (pull) toward a common goal, but seldom can you push them to achieve anything. Unlike a chain, when you push many of our members, they often push back.

• Leadership is putting new ideas before the members, either by reports, motions, or resolutions.
• Leadership is presenting a plan to accomplish a goal.
• Leadership is giving members new opportunities.
• Leadership is being enthusiastic and positive about the Grange and it's many activities.
• Leadership is setting an example for your fellow members and being a visible Granger to the public.
• Leadership is improving yourself by reading, attending conferences, talking to other leaders, and putting your skills into practice so that you can do a better job of leading in your Grange.

The future of your Grange rests upon you because you are a leader. By working together each leader will grow and improve. If we lead in the Grange, the Grange will lead in the community. Tuesday, January 29, President Bush gave the annual State of the Union address. As the leader of our country he set forth a vision of where we need to be as a nation. Terrorism and the difficulties faced by the American people due to September 11 were a central theme of his address.