SoroptiVoiceBLOG

Throughout December, we are delighted to welcome SI leadership to the SoroptiVoice blog spot! This week, SIA President Pat talks about the importance of encouraging leadership skills and opportunities within our own clubs and nurturing new members. Next Friday SISWP President Yvonne will close the year for us (30th). Click here to read SIE President Kathy's blog from December 2nd. Click here to read SIGBI President Maureen's blog from December 16th.

When we hear the phrase “educate to lead” we most often think of our mission and goals to improve the lives of women and girls through education, empowerment and enabling opportunities. We certainly want women’s voices to be heard in board rooms, and local, national and international governmental bodies.  However I think the phrase may apply just as equally to another of our goals to “be a strategic organization with proactive leadership at all levels to enable us to deliver results”. 

At many levels of our organization, members are not stepping up to take on leadership roles.  If our seasoned members are to create opportunities for others, we must ensure that we do the same within our own organization to develop leadership skills that will serve the organization well in its awareness, advocacy, and action roles.   

Terminated membership information for SIA has proved interesting in that all too often our membership declines because of “personality conflicts” or “it was not a welcoming atmosphere” (according to those surveys). One of the core issues that confronts service clubs internationally is declining memberships and at the heart of that is civility.  We must ensure that new members are welcomed, involved and well treated and our more mature members are valued and retained.   Just as our mission states that we “…transform the lives of women…” so too, must we be consistent with that message within our clubs, regions and unions, federations and our international organization.  During a recent induction of a new member at my own club, a visiting club president commented that “she has no idea what wonderful friendships and opportunities await her!”  That’s what we want all our members – old and new to experience. 

How do we ensure that Soroptimist volunteers are dynamic, proactive and able to deliver results to achieve our global mission?   Here are a few strategies that have proven effective:

1.            Ensure that the new member is thoroughly oriented in Soroptimist Club procedures, protocols and traditions.  Assign them some meaningful responsibility – perhaps to a fundraising committee so they’ve an opportunity to work directly with other members and become more acquainted.

2.            Engage members in the work of the club with clearly written job descriptions and realistic expectations.   Don’t delegate a job with the expectation that it will be done exactly the same way as you would have done it.  Newer, younger members may want to “change it up” to attract a wider audience. Check in to see if they need help not your advice – that is, unless you are asked.

3.            Encourage, coach and mentor newer members.  Have them sit by you so they can ask questions during a business meeting – they might not understand all the Soroptimist achronisms or want to know more about the International President’s Appeal, for example.

4.            Survey your members occasionally to determine their likes, dislikes and plan strategically taking the survey into account.  Newer members bring fresh ideas in event planning, the target audience, communications, and service delivery.  We must harness that energy for club and member growth.

5.            Create an atmosphere where one can test their leadership skills in a non-threatening, non-judgmental environment.   Praise the work publically and offer constructive criticism privately.

If we are indeed to be “the global voice for women and girls”, we must recognize that at the heart of our mission, is a dedicated, trained volunteer in whom we Soroptimists must invest as richly as we those we seek to serve in our global mission.