Ways To Learn Leadership Skills: Committee Activities

Being involved with your Sisters in the Brotherhood committee offers many opportunities to learn leadership skills. Some opportunities will require you to step in and help when asked. Others will require you to step in and offer your help without being asked.

In either case, you will have a chance to assist your committee while developing the leadership skills you need. Consider the following examples:

1. Always Arrive Early! This will allow you to assist where needed.

2. Distribute Meeting Information. This involves passing out materials and making sure

   everyone gets available information.

3. Give Meeting Reports. There will always be opportunities to provide feedback or give

   updates. Such reports might occur at the beginning of the meeting, during the meeting,

   or at the end of the meeting.

4. Lead Motivational and Inspirational Activities. “Meeting Ice Breakers” are an

   excellent way to have fun and productive meetings. If your committee does not use

   them, make a suggestion to do so. Some ideas are:

   1. Celebrate Success: When the group has achieved something such as new apprentice, increased participation, journey status, birthday, membership anniversary; celebrate in the meeting with sparkling water/sparkling apple cider

      served in champagne glasses.

   2. Give It a Chance: Have soft toys in the room like foam balls or squish toys. Any

      time someone crushes another person’s idea by saying things like: That won’t work;

      We tried that before; They won’t support us; It’ll cost too much; group members are

      invited to pick up the nearest toy and bombard the offender, shouting “Give It A

      Chance!”

   3. Ideas to Go: Line the walls of the room with different challenges for group members

      to solve, posed as “How can we…” statements.

5. Set-Up Refreshments. Offer to put out napkins, plates, food or other refreshments for

   meeting attendees.

6. Clean-Up Refreshments. Offer to discard left over food or other items.

7. Meet & Greet Attendees. Offer to be the person who welcomes Sisters, Brothers, and

   Guests to your meeting. In this role, you might also give attendees nametags or ask

   attendees to sign in.

8. Set-Up or Assist with Equipment. There may be a need to set up chairs in the

   meeting room, verify that the audiovisual equipment is working, or locate flip charts or

   other materials.

9. Take Notes or Post Ideas on Flip Charts. There will always be a need to record what

   was said and done at your meetings. Volunteer to be that person if no one is assigned.

10. Plan your Next Community Event. Take the initiative to create an Action Plan for your

    next community event. If you have never done this before, ask another Sister who has

    previous experience to assist you.

11. Create Publications for your Meetings. Consider creating documents like postcards,

    flyers, announcements, or certificates.

12. Mentor Apprentices and Other Sisters. Be willing to share your time and advice with

    others. Volunteer to serve as a mentor in a formal or informal capacity.

13. Bring Positive Energy to the Group. Always greet people with a smile. Look for the

    “positive” in every situation. Encourage others to focus on “what can be done” rather

    than “what cannot be done.” One person can make all the difference by being a positive

    influence. Choose to be that positive influence.

Adapted from Sisters in the Brotherhood: www.carpenters.org

Ways-To-Learn-Leadership-Skills-Committee-Activities-4-2013.pdf

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