Building Our Own Leaders

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Building Our Own Leaders

• Presented by
• Mount Vernon Unitarian Church
• Alexandria, VA

www.MVUC.org
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The Mount Vernon Unitarian
Church Leadership Seminar Serving
Those Who Serve Others
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Sound familiar?

• "I finally figured out that when someone tells
  you, It's no problem, he means, for him
• "It's not a lot of work unless you have to do
  it.
• "The only reason that anything ever gets done is
  because there are pockets of competence in
  every organization. The key is to find them...and
  then exploit the hell out of 'em
• "We are condemned men who are chained and will
  row in place until we rot."
• "Hey, somebody should really do that..."

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Why a Home-Grown Course?

• Not everyone can attend District or other
  external training
• Leaders need congregation specific information
• This presents an opportunity to build a community
  of leaders
• For those intimidated by the idea of being a
  leader, this is a gentle entry point, presented
  by people they know and trust
• This can be one component in a farm team system

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Course Objectives

• To serve those who serve MVUC
• To provide information and resources
• To provide skills and tools
• To honor the 3 Ts (Time, Talent, Treasure)
• To build a community of leaders and mentors
• To build and improve this leaders program

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Key Elements

• Work within the time people can allocate
• Friday night and Saturday morning
• Combine a mix of
• Basic skills
• MVUC specific information
• Position specific assistance
• Draw on a wide variety of sources
• UUA
• Alban Institute
• Varied Approaches
• Lecture
• Plenary Discussion
• Strong emphasis on stewardship, community, and
  having some fun

Tailored to each group

• Institutional Best Practices
• Experience within the congregation

• Work Groups and Practical Exercises
• Sing along

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Leader as Servant

• The Servant-Leader is one who understands that
  if you can grow the capacity of others to be
  healthy emotionally and relationally, then you
  will automatically grow the health of the
  organization.
• Dr. Jeffrey D. Yergler
• The Servant Leader and the Exercise of
  Forgiveness in the Context of the Organization

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Friday, 600-615 Course Overview, Objectives
615 700 Introductions and Team Dinner
700 - 730 Leaders Panel
730 - 745 How We Work Together
745 815 Church Financials Budget, Stewardship, Endowment
815 845 Rules and Regs Game
845 900 Wrap Up, Questions, Discussion, Sing Out
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MVUC Governance
Legend
Congregation
Nominating Committee
Annual, Special Meetings
Mission Vision
Special Committees
Bylaws
Min. Search Comm.
Minister
Board of Trustees
Program Council
Letters of Agreement
Intern Minister
Charters
Music Director
Policies
Administration and Property
Communications Council
Administrator
Pianist
Employee Handbook
Treasurer
Membership Council
LSG Director
Sunday Services
Office Mgr.
Custodian
Social Justice Council
LSG Asst.
Rentals Coord.
Property Mgr.
Our Home Community
Youth Advisor
Lifespan Spiritual Growth Council
Volunteer Receptionists
Nursery Caregiver
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The Rules and Regs Game

• 1.  Participants form into two or three groups of
  4-5 (count off).
• 2. Moderator distributes all questions in
  writing. Teams have 10 minutes to prepare
  answers.
• 3.  Teams take turns answering questions. (Team
  members should take turns, too.) 
• 4.  Roles
• Moderator asks questions
• Scorekeeper keeps track of points perteam and
  which persons have answered a question
• Judges award points for answers
• Perfect 3 (Correct answer plus citation of
  source.)Pretty good 2 (Correct answer.)
• Barely acceptable 1 (Answer partially
  correct.)Sorry, no 0 (Incorrect
  answer)
• 5.  If members of one team don't answer correctly
  or completely, other team gets a chance.
• 6.  If participants don't answer correctly,
  judges provide the correct answer (if they know).
  
• 7.  (If time permits) Participants may ask
  questions of their own and judge the judges'
  answers.
•  

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The Rules and Regs Game
Example Question 5. A group of Board members
is planning the Annual Congregational Meeting.
One suggests serving wine with the pot-luck
supper. Another says she doesnt think its a
good idea. The first member says, Weve served
wine occasionally at church functions, and I
think it adds to the enjoyment. Heck, Ill even
provide it myself. Question What are the
rules about this?  
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The Rules and Regs Game
  Answer (provided with other answers at the end
of the game) Policy - Alcohol at Church Events
The function must be primarily a social
occasion. Alcohol may not be served in
conjunction with worship or business functions.
 
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Saturday, 830 845 Welcome, Refreshments, Introduction
845 - 915 How Do I?
915 945 Principles of Leadership
945 1015 Effective Teams Meetings
1015 -1030 BREAK
1030 1100 Small Groups Case Study
1100 - 1145 Groups Present Case Solutions/Discussion by All
1145 1230 Wrap up, Summary, What Next? Opportunities to Serve Graduation, Course Critiques
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How Do I?
Example from How Do I? How do I request that
furniture be set up for an event in a special
way? For routine meetings, most people do their
own setup. For special events, fill out a
"Custodian Work Order Request" form and put it in
Anne Bredecks mailbox. Blank forms are
available in the rack on the side of the
mailboxes in the hall outside the church office.
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Role Modeling

• Live our faith
• Be the image of the church, lead by example
• Practice our Covenant and Principles
• Be committed to quality programming
• All of us are lay ministers, in a 24/7 ministry

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Results to Date

• Over 70 graduates
• Moved from two courses annually to one as backlog
  was depleted
• Course outline and modules sent to many
  congregations around the country following UUA
  LISTSERV discussions
• Some graduates are asking for opportunities to
  serve
• BOT reports improved performance from new
  members
• Slowly rotating the team of facilitators

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Whats Next?

• Added a Conflict Management Course this year
• Working to improve coordination with BOT, Program
  Council, and Nominating Committee to scout for
  potential leaders
• Looking to move to a combined Leadership
  Development- Nominating Team
• Hope to develop a more comprehensive, life span
  leader development system

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Points of Contact

• Bill Clontz billclontz_at_me.com
• Ron Brandt brandtron_at_verizon.net
• Slides for This Presentation
• http//dl.dropbox.com/u/53542594/MVUC20Leadership
  20Seminar20-20JPDV3.ppt
• Facilitators Guide
• http//dl.dropbox.com/u/53542594/LST20Facilitator
  s20Guide.doc
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• Slides for a Sample Course
• http//dl.dropbox.com/u/53542594/LST20April20201
  120V2.ppt

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The Mount Vernon Unitarian
Church Leadership Seminar Serving
Those Who Serve Others