April 2011 - Circle K International!
Transcription
April 2011 - Circle K International!
CKI MAGAZINE April 2011 A Kiwanis-family publication LEADING OUT LOUD What’s inside: 2 Flying with a purpose Keep members motivated with personal connections 4 Leadership lessons Those who’ve been there share what it takes to make it fun and successful 6 Don’t jeer the volunteer How to get the best from 8 Treat yourself to a retreat It’s a great way to have fun with leadership thrown in 10 Find your place Where to get the leadership training you need to succeed 12 Succession plan Take future leaders under your wing your helpers APRIL 2011 CKI Magazine 1 Flying with purpose Keep members motivated with personal connections By Amanda Marfisi, 2010–11 Circle K International president N estling into my coach-class airplane seat, I reached for my headphones, reclined and stretched out for my two-hour plane ride. My routine was interrupted by the flight attendants’ presentation about buckling your seatbelts, noting the exits and all the other probably-won’thappen safety measures. But this time it was different: “Fellow passengers, welcome aboard our uncomfortable, leg-crunching, stuffy aircraft. For those of you who have never flown before, or haven’t ridden in a car for the past 40 years, this is how you buckle your seatbelt. The exits are located throughout the aircraft, and those of you who were selfish enough to want more legroom— secretly hoping everyone would think you’re noble—will be operating them. In case of heightened air pressure, oxygen masks will employ. After you’re done screaming like a little girl, please place the oxygen masks over your mouth and nose and breathe. Please note that all aircrafts have a strict no-smoking policy. If you wish to disobey this policy, 2 CKI Magazine april 2011 we’ll just ask you to step outside to finish your last cigarette. Thank you, and enjoy your flight.” Contrary to the sardonic tone, everyone on the flight was laughing by the end. And it was the first time in a long time that I listened to the flightsafety demonstration. This made me think about motivating CKI members—not just in the first couple meetings, but throughout the year. To keep members motivated, we must continuously fly with a purpose: fellowship. Throughout the year, we do service and learn leadership skills. Both are embedded in a foundation of fellowship. What keeps people around is, quite simply other people. Club officers, I encourage you to look outside the box and think about ways to engage people, not just run an organization. Make the member the most important part of the club by engaging in socials, buddy systems or new form of recognition. Members, I encourage you to get to know people throughout the organization. Don’t stop hanging out when the bell rings and the meeting is over. I know you can choose any organization you wish. I thank you for choosing CKI and for traveling on this journey with us. I hope you’ll be inspired to make the most of it. WHAT IF YOU COULD SAVE A BABY’S LIFE? With The Eliminate Project, you can. Maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) kills one baby every nine minutes. But three doses of a 60-cent vaccine can protect mothers and babies. Kiwanis and UNICEF have joined forces to bring this vaccine to 38 countries, eliminating MNT from the face of the Earth. What can you do now? Grow your club, because you’ll need strength to take on the challenges of the campaign. Learn about MNT, and advocate for the cause. Over the next few years, the work you do to will change the world. Find resources at www.TheEliminateProject.org. Figures are accurate as of March 2011 and are subject to change. Leadership lessons Those who’ve been there share what it takes to make it fun and successful By Nicole Keller A manda Marfisi is doing well now as Circle K International’s 2010– 11 president—but that’s because she learned some things about leadership on her way there. Voted president of her Elizabethtown College (Pennsylvania) club twice, Marfisi admits to being “a title seeker” at first. President “As a sophomore, I thought it was so cool to be club president,” Marfisi says. “But I had joined about 15 other organizations, and I wasn’t showing up to a lot of things. I’d lost sight of what the organization was about.” Fellowship improved once Marfisi, focused on being present at service projects and serving as a facilitator. “You need to be involved in the orga4 CKI Magazine april 2011 nization in every respect. Leadership takes a good deal of modesty, not flashing around your title. If you act so unreachable, no one thinks they can do that job in the future.” And a leader’s job is to create other leaders, says UCLA club editor Brad Tomita. “Leadership is temporary,” he says. “Leaders should always be trying to train those around them to be leaders themselves—to go off and help others in turn.” Considering leadership yourself? Check out the official duties and tips for success: The president is CEO, not a superhero. They’re responsible for all club activities, but can’t do all the work. They make sure the work gets done by training, monitoring and motivating officers, committee chairmen and members. Lance Demonteiro, University of Texas at Austin past club president, says it comes down to vision. “My most important responsibility was inspiring other members, giving the club a common goal and motivating them in more of a high-level approach,” Demonteiro says. Demonteiro knew he’d need to build fellowship to succeed. He took all new members to lunch and helped them find their places in CKI. “Leaders have to facilitate friendships,” he says. “If someone joins and doesn’t make friends, they’re not going to come back. It was important to really be everyone’s friend, not just the president.” What does it take to be a great leader? The club grew from 35 to 68 members, winning multiple awards. “I care about the club a lot,” he says. “So I put 110 percent into everything we did.” also be an idea generator by taking the data and figuring out whether we need more hours in a certain area, or had a good turnout so that an event should be repeated.” Vice president The vice president must stay as upto-date on club activities as the president does, because he or she may need to step in at any time. Their duties are the least defined but committees are their domain. Justin Turner, UT Austin club vice president, says the best vice presidents need administrative skills and a selfless heart. “They do a lot behind the scenes—just as much work as the other officers—but they get the least amount of credit since there’s not really a deliverable that has your stamp,” Turner says. “They’re the glue that holds the pieces together.” Creating a solid committee structure can be crucial for fellowship, especially in big clubs. “Committees break the club down into smaller units of people, making things more personal,” Turner says. “The vice president has to get to know members and find out where their talents lie so they can best serve the club.” Treasurer The treasurer develops the club’s budget then maintains it. The budget regulates everything a club does throughout the year. When Patra Kositchaiwat was club treasurer last year for Oklahoma City University, she found the bottom line directly affected fellowship. “There are so many club projects and events that members would like to attend, and we had to figure out how far the budget would go in the beginning of the year,” Kositchaiwat says. “I like to help everyone, and sometimes it’s hard to tell people ‘no.’” Now Texas-Oklahoma District secretary-treasurer, Kositchaiwat says she didn’t really need a business or an accounting background. “It’s not to do as long as you’re organized, on top of things and have fun with it,” Kositchaiwat says. Secretary In CKI as well as in life, it’s not just what you do but what you document that counts, so a good secretary is vital for club credibility and vitality. Secretaries keep track of everything a club does. There’s a domino effect if not. “If I don’t have accurate records at the end of the year, everything falls out of place,” says Jennifer Federer, club secretary for Ohio Wesleyan University. “The governor and lieutenant governor can’t fill out their reports without proper secretary records. I’m a resource and a communication system between the club and the overall district. I can Editor The editor creates and distributes a monthly newsletter to inform and motivate club members. Taylor Dickerson, club editor for The College of New Jersey, added author photos and new features to boost involvement. “By including a new Member-of-the-Month, along with encouraging members to write articles, my goal was to make them feel like the newsletter was theirs, to feel more special,” Dickerson says. But her role isn’t limited to the newsletter; she likes being part of the executive board. “When you build relationships with other leaders in the club, you get more done, you’re more efficient, and it’s a better experience for everyone.” Who better to ask about leadership than those who make their living inspiring emerging leaders? We consulted these experts on “What does it take to be a great leader?” “A great leader is also a great student. You’ve got to ask questions, keep an open mind and constantly challenge assumptions. That means learning as well as unlearning. What worked yesterday may not work anymore. The best leaders have an insatiable thirst for new information that keeps them responsive to present day needs.” Scott Greenberg Author, The Sandbags & The Fire: How Leaders Cut Loose Their Hang-ups & Soar to Success “Great leadership emerges when life doesn’t play out as we had hoped or planned. Transformational leaders choose to greet the obstacles, delays and cancellations with optimism, positivity and a spirit of service. The most compelling leaders I know care for people, share gratitude and inspire others to contribute their gifts to the world.” Jason Barger Author, speaker, consultant and creator of the Step Back from the Baggage Claim Movement “To me, there are two types of litres/leaders. First, a litre, is a unit of measurement, usually used with liquids. The other, leader, is probably more appropriate. Being a great leader means leading from the end of the line. It seems we have it in our heads that leadership is always being ‘in front,’ when in reality, it is being at the end...making sure that each individual is heard and accounted for. True leaders lead with the spirit of OHANA...the Hawaiian word for family...making sure that nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” C. Kevin Wanzer Speaker and author of children’s book Choose To Love Continued on page 7 april 2011 CKI Magazine 5 Don’t jeer the volunteer How to get the best from your helpers By Christopher Martz W hen was the last time you turned down a volunteer in your club or district? Probably not recently, since CKI needs more talented volunteers. In general, people want to volunteer, but organizations across the board make the process too complicated. Applications, interviews and other processes are often unnecessary hurdles that waste a lot of time trying to justify why a person is the right fit for a position. But these processes can end up turning off your most qualified candidates. Here are some helpful guidelines to assist vice presidents with their committee structures or committee chairmen with their volunteers: Don’t fire volunteers. Don’t belittle a volunteer by telling him he 6 CKI Magazine april 2011 hasn’t met your expectations or that he should rethink his motives for being part of a committee. You can’t fire a volunteer. Well, you can; but that’s just a nightmare waiting to happen. Instead, find out what drove the person to apply or sign-up for the committee. Often committee tasks become overwhelming because members have academic lives, social lives and other factors that get in the way of getting everything done. A good committee chairman recognizes when his or her volunteers are overwhelmed and finds a way to assist. Perhaps that simply means reallocating tasks to members of the committee who may be in a downtime state at the moment. Volunteers aren’t employees. So many times we treat our volunteers as if they are employees of a corporation. You don’t need to do a performance review on your committee members. It’s not about the volunteer. It’s about advancing the organization. Instead, review the products, outcomes or initiatives the committee was assigned. Focus on the mission and not the manpower. Keep tasks specific and simple. Speaking of assignments, attempt to give committee members individual tasks that can be completed in five hours or less. Your best club volunteers are more than likely another organization’s best volunteer as well. Good volunteers do not just help a single cause. Look outside the box to get outside the box. If you want this year’s committee to do something different You can’t fire a volunteer. Well, you can; but that’s just a nightmare waiting to happen. from past years, make sure you assign a few “change agents” to that committee—those people (maybe even new members) who have a fresh perspective on the tasks that lie ahead. In the world of collegiate organizations, if it’s been done the same way for the past two years, it’s tradition because no one remembers it being done any differently. Plan for the long run. Don’t expect a single committee to change your club in a semester or a year. Change in any organization happens slowly. Don’t put a burden on a single committee. Perhaps they need to develop a strategic two- or three-year approach to making the dream come true, and then lay the foundation the initial year. Go outside the club. What if you’re low on volunteers for committees? Have you ever thought about non-member volunteers? Why does the T-shirt or newsletter committee need all members? Think about asking an outstanding artist to become a member of the T-shirt or newsletter committee and maybe after he or she sees the great things CKI does, he or she will join your club. There are many opportunities to utilize non-members in your committee structure. In general, CKI relies heavily on volunteers, but does a poor job managing them. Take a moment to rethink what your club or district’s committee structure and volunteer assignments look like. One-third of nonprofit volunteers give up after a year. Don’t let your volunteers fall victim to this statistic. What does it take to be a great leader? continued “To be a good leader, you need three things: to be selfless, to be a teacher and to be a member of a community. If you’re an active member of a community, it’s easier to initiate change in this world, to draw strength from that community even as you’re fighting the battle of poverty, of HIV/AIDS, fighting for clean water. Even in Third World countries, they have pretty much nothing but they still celebrate the things that matter in life: friendship, laughter, a good meal, a handshake. I see kids still be selfless, still be teachers, still making themselves a part of a community as leaders. Like my father says, whether you’re a billionaire or have zero dollars, you need to make happiness real for others and a good leader has the ability to enable that.” Ethan Zohn Winner, reality television show Survivor, and cofounder of Grassroot Soccer, a nonprofit organization that trains professional soccer players to teach African children about HIV/AIDS “Thanks to Key Club and Circle K, I learned a great deal about leadership starting at age 15. Leadership is exemplified through the following five leadership tenets: Integrity, excellence, respect, balance and people-centered. The last is another term for fellowship.: this is about being people-centered and investing in the lives of others, whether first-hand or indirectly. To help our fellow man/woman is our responsibility and a privilege. Anyone actively involved in Kiwanis-sponsored youth programs will learn leadership and, in turn, teach others by example.” Mark Musso 2010 CKI Alumni Award winner, President/CEO, Special Olympics Missouri april 2011 CKI Magazine 7 Treat yourself to a retreat It’s a great way to have fun, with leadership thrown in By Dick Isenhour R ecently, Circle K International members at the University of Michigan gathered for fun and games. It was all part of the club’s annual LeadCon, a one-day event designed to help members develop leadership skills in a fun way. The event is similar to those staged by other CKI clubs and districts, all geared toward bolstering the organization by making its members stronger. “LeadCon focuses on the leadership tenet of Circle K,” says Rosaline Toi, vice president of the Michigan club. “LeadCon also connects with another of our club values—servant leadership. It provides our members all of the resources they need to effectively lead in the community by serving in the community.” 8 CKI Magazine april 2011 A typical LeadCon begins with an icebreaker followed by team-building activities, group competitions and games. As in previous years, about 40 members of the club attended this year’s LeadCon. “We limit the event to just our club members so that they reap the benefits of being a member of CKI club at University of Michigan,” Toi says, adding that there has been talk of opening it up to other CKI clubs. There are plenty of benefits to the daylong event. “I have personally benefited from LeadCon by learning how to work with others in all types of situations,” Toi says. “The greatest lesson I’ve learned, though, is that every person is different and works a different way. As a leader, I must recognize that each person brings something different to the table and a good leader is able to blend those differences in a way that helps the group meets its goals.” Other Circle K members echo her sentiments. “The purpose of leadership retreats is to train the up and coming leaders within the organization,” notes Jarrod Echols, member of the Circle K club at the University of Southern Illinois-Carbondale and international representative to Subregion C. “These retreats provide an excellent resource of knowledge in the form of current leaders and leadership materials for the soon-to-be leaders to use.” Echols believes the leadership re- treat provides easy access to information current leaders and willing to share and helps future leaders develop their leadership potential. “I personally have gained public speaking, delegation, facilitation and coordination skills from such retreats,” Echols explains. “Without these skills, I wouldn’t be able to be the effective and confident leader I am today.” Similar benefits are found in district leadership events. Most CKI districts host a Leadership Training Conference in October or November. District retreats, according to Becky Wilson of the Purdue University Circle K club (Indiana) help members develop and grow into society’s leaders. They also provide opportunities to learn why members serve, and to network with others that have the same goal of serving commnities. She believes effective leadership retreat have similar elements: inclusiveness, enthusiasm and determination. “You want to make sure everyone is being included in the team-building activities,” she explains. “You also want to make sure everyone is focused on becoming a better leader by working hard but without knowing they are doing so because they are having a great time.” Leadership retreats help participants explore their individual talents, find their calling with servant leadership and connect with like-minded individuals who want to change the world, says Kristen Reed, 2008–09 Circle K International president and member of the New York City Young Professionals Kiwanis club. “The best part of leadership retreats is that each individual participant leaves the conference with their own memories and lessons to apply to their life, she says. “The benefits are immeasurable because it’s hard to put a value on making friends, growing as a person and exploring new ways to give back to your community.” Add some flavor Make the most of your leadership retreat L eadership events/retreats/workshops are important at any age and at all levels of leadership,” notes Steve Siemens, motivational speaker and former Kiwanis International president. “An excellent leader can always learn something to improve his or her leadership abilities. I consider participating in an excellent leadership retreat a smart investment.” Siemens, founder of Siemens People Builders, believes there are many things that make a leadership retreat excellent. Try incorporating one or more of these tips into your next retreat: • Take it offsite, with no access to electronic interruption. • Make it intense. Save the rest and relaxation for afterwards. • Create a bio on each attendee in advance. • Never ask people to go around a circle and say their name or what they do. The problem? People spend the whole time trying to think of what to say, not listening to others. • Instead, a week ahead of time, give each person an assignment for a presentation. It might be the answer to a question such as, “What are you working on?” or “What can you teach us?” Each person gets 300 seconds, that’s it. • Have 11 people present their five minutes in an hour. Never do more than an hour in a row. • Organize roundtable conversations, with no more than 20 people. Launch a firestarter, a five-minute statement, then have at it. call on people, cut people off, connect people and provoke them in a positive way. • Invite a poker instructor or a horseshoe expert to give lessons and then host a competition. • Serve delicious food, weird food, vegan food, funky food. • Use nametags at all times. Write the person’s first name REALLY big. • Use placecards at each meal, rotating where people sit. • Do something really interesting after 10 p.m. • Don’t worry about being productive. Worry about being busy. • Consider a tug of war or checkers tournament. • Create an online site so attendees can check in after the event, swap e-mail addresses or post promised links. • Take pictures. Post them as the event progresses. • Solve problems. Get into small groups and have the groups build something, analyze something, create something totally irrelevant to what the organization does. • Do skits. • Have a moderator who is brave enough and smart enough to april 2011 CKI Magazine 9 District conventions Each district hosts an annual convention, generally in February or March, to elect district officers, choose contest winners, participate in service projects and mingle with other CKI members. Find out when your district convention goes down at www. circlek.org/districtconventions. Find your place Where to get the leadership training you need to succeed By Amberly Peterson CKI has leadership training and development opportunities for you. No matter what your position, remember, you’re a member first. Club members/presidents Leadership Academy CKI Leadership Academy is a six-day event focused on the E6 Framework created by Brendon Burchard, author of the Student Leadership Guide. The 2011 Leadership Academy is Monday, July 25 to Sunday, July 31 at Waycross Camp & Conference Center in Morgantown, Indiana. “Leadership Academy is an excellent opportunity to prepare club leaders for the coming year and develop emerging leaders within the district through participation in a life-changing leadership experience,” says Chris Martz, director of Circle K International. Submit your application at www. circlek.org/leadershipacademy. Club Leadership Education During the annual international convention, 45 participants can be trained in Club Leadership Education. Using a dynamic presentation and group participation, CLE introduces a proven process that each CKI club can use 10 CKI Magazine april 2011 to educate club officers about the basics of leadership. CLE attendees learn basic skills that can help improve club operations, make meetings and fellowship more meaningful, evaluate club projects and activities and allow for more effective recruitment and retention of members. CKI recommends that all club officers participate in the training program each year. Certified trainers present this information at the district and club level. International convention Every year, CKI members come together at the international convention to elect an international board, vote on amendments, showcase successful service projects and learn at workshops. CKI members who attend this event, have the chance to meet with other members from around the world, express opinions and cast votes to elect new leaders. Learn more about this important CKI event at www.circlek.org/convention. Webinars Hosted throughout the year, CKI webinars train and inform CKI members on a variety of topics ranging from service partners to international convention, giving you the tools and information you need to lead your club or district. Visit www.kiwanisone. org/webinars to see a complete list of upcoming webinars or sign up to get webinar updates sent to your inbox at www.circkek.org/email. District governors Governors and Administrators Training Conference Just what it sounds like, GATC is an annual event where each districts’ administrators and newly-elected governors come together for training. They meet the current class of governors and members of the CKI and Kiwanis International staff and learn helpful hints about how to be successful during their year of leadership. A little fellowship is always built in. International board Board trainer Annually after the Circle K International convention, the newly-elected international board comes together for training on a wide-range of topics ranging from strategic planning, graphic standards, service partners and the next international convention. Board meetings The Circle K International Board meets at least twice a year. Board members discuss progress for the year, and plan for international events, such as international convention and CKI Service Week. amp up your leadership skills get to CKI Leadership Academy Take your leadership skills to the next level. Leadership Academy is a six-day event focusing on the E6 Framework created by Brendon Burchard, author of the Student Leadership Guide. This event is an excellent opportunity to prepare develop emerging leaders through participation in a life-changing leadership experience—and prepare club leaders for the coming year. All CKI members are eligible to apply, but only a small number can attend! Submit your application today at www.circlek.org/leadershipacademy July 25–July 31 Waycross Camp & Conference Center Morgantown, Indiana www.circlek.org/leadershipacademy Succession plan Take future leaders under your wing By Dick Isenhour B ritain’s Prince William and Kate Middleton spent a recent Thursday morning pouring champagne. The bubbles were intended to christen a new vessel in the royal fleet in Anglesey, North Wales. But the occasion also marked the first act of royal duty of the prince and probable duchess-to-be. Though the event may not have seemed significant, it demonstrates the sort of measures being taken to ensure an eventual smooth succession of the couple to the throne of the British monarchy—the sort of planning that is not lost on CKI clubs and districts. “Succession planning helps make sure a club has a smooth transition and that officers have an opportu- 12 CKI Magazine april 2011 nity to hand over their documents, history and tips for their jobs to their successors,” says Kristen Reed, former Circle K International president and current member of the New York Young Professionals Kiwanis club. “Succession planning is important to ensure that a club’s history, traditions and most effective recruitment tactics and membership-retainment strategies are not lost when officers graduate.” One important key to succession planning, most CKI leaders agree, is to begin the transition early. “Our club allows for a very long transition process between the old board and new board,” says Rosaline Toi, vice president of the Michigan University Circle K club. “This year, we held elections a week or two earlier for the purposes of transitioning, because seniors make up the majority of our current board and will be gone next year. So now we have almost two months, which will give each board member a chance to meet one-on-one with their successors, and for the outgoing and incoming board to meet weekly so the new board can learn how everything functions.” One measure that has proven successful for the club is the use of transition packets (about 30 pages each) that are passed down from year to year. New board members can refer to information included in the packets and find answers to many of their questions. “We also allow the new board to plan its own events and make its own decisions,” Toi adds. “There’s an advantage to having the current board members around to use as resources by the incoming board.” Krystal Weaver, international representative to Subregion G, agrees. “Being in many leadership roles, I’ve found there is no better way to succeed than to look back to the person who has done it before you to seek his or her advice and counsel,” she says. “We devised a president-trainee system for a community college. If members think they might want to be president, they can ‘shadow’ the current president, who can also delegate work to help them get them ready for their presidency.” Handing over the reins of leadership can be a tricky time for CKI clubs, cautions CKI President Amanda Marfisi. Her advice: Start early. “The most important thing I tell people is to start finding your replacement the day after you are installed,” she explains.”You want your successor to be more successful than you so that you know you’ve done a great job.” Catch the wave PICTURE YOURSELF AT THE 2011 CKI CONVENTION IN VIRGINIA BEACH ICON AD Pack your beach ball, flip flops and sunscreen and join CKI members from all over the world at the 56th Annual Circle K International Convention. Don’t miss Jason Barger, author of Step Back from the Baggage Claim. Make your vote count as you elect your 2011–12 CKI leaders. Explore the Service Fair and walk away with great ideas. Learn more and register now at www.circlek.org/convention. June 22–26, 2011 Virginia Beach, Virginia www.circlek.org/convention C O N V E N T I O N Circle K International 2009–2010 annual report for Circle K International STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION Years Ending September 30 2010 2009 ASSETS: Cash and equivalents Other assets $ 83,101 5,155 $ 9,163 - $ 88,256 $ 9,163 Due to Kiwanis International Other Liabilities Net Assets (Deficiency)-Unrestricted $107,348 68 (19,160) $ 68,441 1,364 (60,642) TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS (DEFICIENCY) $ 88,256 $ TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS (DEFICIENCY): 9,163 2010 2009 $267,628 134,128 314 39,440 310,017 1,861 $266,231 60,744 43 21,865 210,360 2,625 STATEMENTS OF ACTIVITIES REVENUES: Membership dues Convention fees Investment income Grant income Subsidies from Kiwanis International Advertising and other TOTAL REVENUES $753,388 $561,868 $ 37,506 167,609 295,784 4,503 52,961 54,274 99,269 $ 51,582 61,331 111,350 9,812 24,137 25 291,416 EXPENSES: Governance Convention Leadership, education and development Magazine Membership services Marketing General and administrative TOTAL EXPENSES SURPLUS 14 CKI Magazine APRIL 2011 $711,906 $ 41,482 $549,653 $ 12,215 For a copy of the audit report, send your written request to: Kiwanis International Attn: Audit Report 3636 Woodview Trace Indianapolis, IN 46268 or e-mail your request to: [email protected]. Paid Membership Paid Clubs 12,263 2004 485 13,533 2005 522 13,331 2006 512 13,274 2007 507 12,438 2008 484 12,649 2009 439 12,688 2010 482 3.5% since 2004 -0.6% 0.3% since 2009 9.8%