Governor-Elect's Corner

by Jeffrey M. Wolff

It seems appropriate as we start our Kiwanis administrative year with a new slate of officers at all levels to think about the direction we want our organization to take.   Leadership begins at the club. In order to provide the most service to our communities, it is imperative that our clubs are not only planning for their upcoming year, but also giving thought to leadership in the years to come.  

Is your club starting its year with a president-elect?  Have you identified potential presidents for your club in the years following?   Many clubs find themselves waiting until elections are held in the spring to look for their next slate of officers.   Some clubs don't even hold their elections in the spring because enough members aren't willing to commit themselves six months before their term begins.   Why is that a problem? 

Does your club have contested races for club leadership positions?    Good succession planning within a club starts with proper leadership education.   It's important for clubs to embrace not only the president-elect and secretary training provided in your region by the district, but also other materials provided by Kiwanis International.    Have you taken a look recently at the Club Leader Tools provided on the www.kiwanisone.org web site?  There are some excellent resources there not just for the current officers of your club, but for potential officers as well.   Make sure that you are looking for up-and-coming new leaders constantly within your club and helping them to find the educational resources to let them develop and grow.  

It's great if you have members that really enjoy holding one particular spot on your board year after year, but make sure that everyone is provided the opportunity to hold any position they desire to be elected to.   This is just one way your club can ensure that fresh ideas are flowing through your board of directors and ultimately invigorating your club.   A new perspective on things can often mean the difference between "how we've always done it" and how we can be better than we ever were before. 

Our organization should strive to consist purely of servant leaders, people who never ask "What's in it for me?" but say "What can I do to serve you?"  The more leaders we develop within our clubs, the more we have to work with our Service Leadership Programs clubs, the more we have to run for division, district and even International leadership positions, but most importantly, the more attractive we become to potential members who realize that being a part of Kiwanis is the element missing from their lives.