CHAPTER BOARD TRAINING (CBT)
AGENDA INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION
This is a set of instructions and information that accompanies the Agendafor Chapter Board Training (CBT). It is meant to guide your CBT Facilitator through the Agenda, and we encourage your Chapter to adapt it according to your individual Chapter needs. A Chapter Board Training conducted each year will better equip your Chapter Board with knowledge and training to lead your Chapter, and it is an important tool to strengthen your Chapter. Please ensure that your Chapter's legacy will be carried forward through the years by maintaining and preserving the high standards, reputation, and image your Chapter has developed, or is developing, in your community.
I. Welcome and Devotional
This is the time to welcome and congratulate the new Board and to offer our Junior Auxiliary Prayer. Just as we encourage each Chapter meeting to begin with our Junior Auxiliary prayer, we also recognize the importance that our hearts and minds be spiritually nourished with a devotional. Our devotion time should help to set a warm, peaceful atmosphere, and remind us of the purpose of our organization.
II.“Get to Know” Icebreakers
It is important to build your Board Team every year. You will want to establish rapport between Board members, and icebreakers will help you learn about one another. Once your Board members relax and enjoy each other, they will be more willing to participate. If your Board can schedule several hours or a day or weekend retreat for the training, you will have time to present activities that demonstrate the diverse personalities that make up the Board. Team-building activities will also show how members can work together to solve problems or to brainstorm ways to do things.
*Additional resource materials are available in the NAJA Resource Center.
Understanding our Organization
These next two items on the agenda will educate Board members as to the Chapter's personal history, the benefits of belonging to a national organization, and the governing authorities of the Chapter and NAJA.
III.Chapter/NAJA History
Each Board member should be familiar with their Chapter’s history and its connection to NAJA. The NAJA Handbook (pp 4-6, C. Chronology) outlines significant historical facts. Chapters are encouraged to maintain a similar record of their Chapter history, which should be updated each year. This is also an excellent time to display your Chapter's NAJA Charter.
*Additional resource materials are available in the NAJA Resource Center.
IV.NAJA Handbook and Chapter Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Policies
Review the NAJA Handbook and especially the section pertaining to the Chapter, and compare it with the Chapter's Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Policies. Point out that the language in the NAJA Handbook is adopted by the Chapters and should be contained in the Chapter's Bylaws, etc. in all capital letters without alteration. Show how the Chapter has added its own provisions and specific policies unique to your Chapter.
Explain to the Board that the NAJA Handbook and the Chapter's governing documents provide a reference point when making Chapter decisions that affect members and the community. Your Chapter can avoid conflict by citing specific references.
Ensure that all Board members have a current NAJA Handbook and Chapter Constitution.
Membership
Two primary reasons for conducting Chapter Board Training as noted in Items V and VI are to communicate the expectations, duties, and responsibilities of the Board and to evaluate the expectations of the general membership and then make any necessary and valid adjustments.
V. Membership Expectations
Listen and respond appropriately to your members’ expectations and requests. Each Chapter is encouraged to conduct a Chapter self-evaluation (See the forms in the Chapter President’s Notebook). Reviewing as a Board the tabulated responses of the Chapter Self-Evaluation compiled at the end of the previous year will give your Board insight into your membership expectations. Review previous actions taken in response to these evaluations and determine if further actions are needed.
If your Chapter does not have one, consider a Volunteer Commitment form to be signed by all members of the Chapter during Provisional Training. The form will outline the obligations and expectations by the Chapter for productive membership. Informing members initially of their duties can avoid future conflicts with performance. (A sample form is included in the Provisional Trainer’s Manual.) It might be helpful for the Chapter to review the Volunteer Commitment Form annually as a way to remind members of their obligations to the Chapter and community.
VI. Board Expectations
Determine the expectations of your Board members and what your members expect from their Board. Ask your Board members what they expect of each other. This gives them an opportunity to express their need for commitment and cooperation from the other Board members, and it will make an impact. Evaluate your Board’s performance and remember to always be constructive and not critical.
Each Board member should complete an Officer Commitment Form. (A sample is in the Chapter President’s Notebook.)
How to Be an Effective Board
An effective Board can only operate when its members know what they are doing. The CBT Facilitator can strengthen the Board by focusing on Items VII through XII on the Agenda:
*Reviewing the individual job descriptions and showing how some positions might overlap with others or affect the Board as a whole.
*Communicating the duties and responsibilities of the whole Board.
*Educating members on their fiscal responsibility and showing them how to read financial statements.
*Explaining the importance of parliamentary procedure and how it can be effective.
*Assisting the Chapter to assess its image in the community by discussing its strengths and weaknesses and how external threats and opportunities can affect the Chapter.
*Discussing succession planning and its importance to the future of the Chapter.
*Reviewing tips on resolving and even avoiding conflict within the Chapter.
These focal points are reviewed on the Agenda as follows:
VII.Duties and Responsibilities
Review job descriptions in the NAJA Handbook (pp 45 – 49), Policies and Procedures Chapter, A. Internal Operations: Administration) as well as the job descriptions for the Executive Board, Officers, and Committees outlined in the Chapter Bylaws, Standing Rules and Policies. Each Chapter Board member should be especially familiar with the duties of her own office but it is also beneficial to understand the duties of the other Board members as well. Discuss the interdependence of each office and position, and discuss how work assignments can overlap. A Board's success is recognizing that it is a team and its success is dependent upon each member meeting her duties and responsibilities.
Each Board member should have a notebook for her respective position and this is a good time to review those notebooks. Notebooks should include copies of past minutes, financial information, goals, the Chapter Constitution, Bylaws and Policies, and information pertinent to the position. Ask Board members to keep copies of Chapter and Board contact information, calendars, agendas, etc. in their notebooks for the current year. It would also be helpful to include a timeline of the duties and responsibilities of the position to make leadership transition more effective. If any of your Board members do not have one, request that the Board member(s) create a notebook this year. (See "Documents for Board Notebooks” found on the NAJA website in the Members Only Sectionunder Membership.) Notebooks should be passed on to successors at the assigned time.
General Board duties and responsibilities are outlined in the document entitled, "Welcome to the Board" which can be found on the NAJA website, Members Only Section, under Membership, Chapter Board Training.
VIII.Financial Statements - How to Read Them
Provide instruction on how to review your monthly financial statements. Each Board member has a fiduciary responsibility to read and understand them each month. Encourage questions, and require that the bank statements be available for review at meetings.
IX.Parliamentary Procedure
Consider the role of member etiquette and parliamentary procedure, and how these can benefit the Chapter. Review as a Board the parliamentary procedure tips and the Chapter Meeting Etiquette handout found in the Chapter President’s Notebook, and any additional handouts given at AEC. Effective use of parliamentary procedure will help your Chapter retain members and avoid conflict.
*Additional resource materials are available in the NAJA Resource Center, including the videos, "How to Run a Meeting" and "Parliamentary Procedure."
X. Chapter Assessment
Assessing the Chapter and its Board and its role in the community will guide the Chapter Board in developing its plan for the upcoming year. This can be accomplished by conducting a S.W.O.T. analysis of your Chapter.
A S.W.O.T. analysis is an in-depth assessment of an organization’s internal situation (Strengths and Weaknesses), as well as a thorough evaluation of the Opportunities and Threats that exist in the organization’s external environment. Strengths and weaknesses focus on an organization’s resources (human, financial, and physical), its policies, procedures, practices and operations and management/administration of the organization. Opportunities and Threats are identified through an evaluation of several factors in the external environment including the technological environment, the social environment, the economic environment, the legal/regulatory environment, the political environment and the competitive environment.
Distribute the S.W.O.T. Questionnaire to your Board members prior to the training and request that they complete the form in its entirety and turn the form in to the CBT Facilitator. (This form can be found on the NAJA website, in the Members Only Section, under Membership, Chapter Board Training) The S.W.O.T. analysis will then lead your Chapter and Board through a process to evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. A Board that utilizes this resource will gain greater insight into their membership expectations, strengths, and weaknesses. The Board will be more effective in their goal setting session by with first participating in a S.W.O.T. analysis, matching strengths to weaknesses, opportunities to threats, in order to best address the needs of the Chapter.
This is a very important segment on the Agenda. This discussion, combined with the discussion concerning the final two topics under this heading, Succession Planning and Conflict Resolution, will round out the brainstorming needed to develop goals in the final segment of your CBT.
XI. Succession Planning
Are you re-engaging Associate and Life members? They are a valuable resource for recruitment and working your projects. Does your Chapter have an Associate/Life liaison position? Does this person serve on the Board? Does your Chapter have a newsletter or other means of communication with Associate and Life members to keep them current on Chapter news and developments? Are you conveying to your Provisional members that involvement does not have to end once they have served their Active years, but that a lifetime commitment will ensure that your Chapter continues to serve the community? Future involvement can include financial support, goodwill in the community, member and project referrals, and manpower on projects. These members can be a tremendous asset to your Chapter.
Evaluate your leadership skills when you consider membership recruitment and retention. Develop a plan that will ensure the succession of your future members.What do we need to change? How can we be more effective in recruiting and retaining members? Are you able to successfully slate officers and appoint chairmen? Encourage and train future leaders for your Chapter. Consider an Assistant or Co-chair for some positions of importance to ensure that next year’s leadership is trained and prepared to assume the duties. Maintain records, files and notebooks for successors. Establish a procedure and set aside a specific time for “turning over the books” to guarantee that each office/position is carefully explained to the successor.
Plan events that allow your Chapter to recognize and celebrate achievements by members and invite participation by the entire membership. Make these events annual, anticipated occurrences and encourage attendance. Recognizing achievement fosters increased involvement.
XII. Conflict Resolution
A good Board will manage and resolve conflict. Take a proactive approach and encourage good use of parliamentary procedure to foster respect and courteous behavior. Remember to abide by the will of the majority once a vote has been taken. Recognize the President as the spokesperson of the Chapter. Encourage confidentiality and review the Code of Ethics contained in the NAJA Handbook. Recognize that many personalities make up the Chapter, and that diversity is what makes your Chapter special. Communicate expectations and assignments.
Conflict can be healthy when it brings together, in a team approach, the issue andpermits members to share their ideas, views and opinions. Share resources/handouts on conflict resolution and team building. Review Chapter policy or consider developing policies that will determine and strengthen the Chapter’s conflict resolution.
*Additional resource materials are available in the NAJA Resource Center. Also refer to the NAJA website, Members Only Section, under Membership: Conflict Resolution.
Establishing a Plan for Our Chapter
One of the primary responsibilities of the Chapter Board is to plan for the organization. Much of the discussion already conducted during the CBT will give the Board ideas on what is needed.
Goals can greatly benefit a Chapter. Writing the goal down, developing a plan to obtain the goal, and measuring your efforts towards achieving that goal can help a Chapter reach its dreams.
As the Chapter Board moves through the Chapter Board Training Agenda, the discussion may naturally evolve into strategic goals for the Chapter. For example, say the Chapter determined that a weakness of the Chapter is its public image, and the resulting goal that was introduced and adopted by the Board was "to develop a public relations program during the upcoming year." Then, as the Chapter's Public Relations Committee planned and implemented different ways to establish a business relationship with the local media, the Chapter worked to change its image within the community. The "weakness" became the Chapter's "strength" at the end of the year, and its efforts helped recruit member and financial support.
Adopting goals can be a powerful tool to strengthen your Chapter. In order to develop goals, you need to know "where your Chapter is" and "where it wants to be." What are the dreams of your Chapter and its members? If it's in someone's head, it won't be easy for other members to know that, so it's important for members to voice their ideas, decide on what it is they want to accomplish, and then write them down as goals. So, the last segment on the Agenda is goal setting, which is crucial to the success of your Chapter.
XIII. Goal Setting
Do your Board and/or Chapter adopt goals? Goal setting permits you to be visionary and proactive. Goals should be both short term, to be accomplished within a year to 18 months, and long term, a vision for the future. Long-term goals may require several short-term goals in order to achieve them, and these require revision or elimination in the future if circumstances change.
The Chapter Board should now adopt the proposed goals. This will give weight to the decisions of the Board. The President will want to review the status of the goals throughout the year, possibly quarterly, with a final review at the end of the year.
*Additional resource materials are available in the NAJA Resource Center, and on the NAJA website, in the Members Only Section, under Membership: Chapter Board Training.
XIV. Reflection
This is the time that the Board can relax and appreciate the work it has done to ensure the success of the Chapter's upcoming year. It has been hard work, but the efforts will pay off. Hopefully at this point, all Board members possess a feeling of "ownership" in the Chapter, and are trained and ready to perform the duties of their positions. One of the goals of CBT is to give Board members an opportunity to bond with each other as a "team" and adopting "secret sisters" or "buddies" or "big sisters" can reinforce this.
XV. Closing and Evaluation
The CBT Facilitator can close the meeting in two ways. First, if the Board had sufficient time to discuss and propose goals, then close after the Board has adopted its goals. Second, if the Board has not had enough time to get all the way through the goal-setting session, set a time to meet again for the purpose of adopting goals and encourage them to consider the discussion that was involved during the CBT and be prepared to come back with a decision.