Organization Management

Leadership Compass

The Leadership Compass provides participants a tool for understanding how they approach work and how it can differ from others'.  One key to effective leadership is to be flexible in your work style and receptive to others whose styles differ from you own.  Learn how to conduct the Leadership Compass exercise with your organization!

Strength's Quest

How strong is your student organization? How effective is its leadership team?  The best teams get the job done by intentionally using each member's strengths. Strengths Quest supports student organizations to reach greater success by helping them create a team dynamic that welcomes, values, and leverages each member's talents.  Strength's Quest is a great resource for your organization to utilize!

People Bingo

People Bingo is one of the most popular ice breakers and get-to-know-you exercises because it's so easy to customize for your particular group and situation, and almost everyone knows how to play it. We'll explain how to play, and show you how to make your own People Bingo game cards. Download the template the get started!

The Big Picture (Working for the Greater Good)

Everyone knows it is important to step back and look at the ‘big picture’ every now and then, particularly when looking at an organization and how its people operate and communicate internally. With The Big Picture the importance of teamwork, cooperation and communication is reinforced through the process of painting an artistic masterpiece of truly epic proportions.  Check out this great exercise here!

True Colors

Discover your own personality and learn to appreciate other personalities, and ways to communicate to them through their personality.   This exercise is a great way to learn about the dynamics of your team through a fun, interactive group activity.  Check out the resources that accompany this activity!

• True Colors Test
• True Colors Handouts
• True Colors PowerPoint (to guide the activity)

Leadership Library

The Leadership Library provides student organizations with the basic materials and knowledge needed to be a successful.  The hope is that the Library will help individuals and organizations grow, and in turn enrich the Northwest Missouri State University Campus. All materials are available for use/check out through the Office of Student Involvement inside the Student Engagement Center of the Student Union.

Rooms can be reserved on campus, at no charge to student organizations and departments.  If you are not affiliated with a recognized student organization or Northwest department, please contact:

Nikki Bucy
660.562.1430
nikkib@nwmissouri.edu

Astra is the room scheduling system utilized at Northwest Missouri State University.  Below are links and instructions based on the facility you would like to reserve, which should answer most questions.  If you experience issues or have additional questions, please contact:

Nikki Bucy
660.562.1430
nikkib@nwmissouri.edu

• Schedule an Event through Astra
• Astra Schedule Guide 

Effective Meetings

Why do we have meetings?

• To give members a chance to discuss goals and objectives and keep updated on current events.
• A chance to communicate and keep the group cohesive. 
• They allow a group to pull resources together for decision making. 

What to do before a meeting:

• Define a purpose for the meeting.
• Create an agenda.
• Hand out the agenda and pass out any background materia.
• Set a time and place for the meeting. 

What to do during a meeting:

• Greet members.
• Be sure to start and end on time.
• Stick to the agenda and your purpose.
• Encourage everyone’s participation and ideas.
• Keep the conversation topic constructive.
• Delegate responsibilities and establish due dates. 
• Have someone record and keep meeting minutes.
• Summarize any decisions made.
• Set a time and date for the next meeting.

What to do after a meeting:

• Pass out minutes within 24 hours
• Discuss problems during the meeting with officers to ensure future improvements.
• Make sure people are carrying out their delegated responsibilities.
• Give recognition to those doing a good job.
• Prepare for the next meeting. 

Other tips on holding effective meetings:

• http://humanresources.about.com/od/meetingmanagement/a/meetings_work.htm
• http://www.askmen.com/money/career_100/114_career.html

Adapted from:

• http://leadership.uoregon.edu/resources/exercises_tips/skills/running_effective_meetings

Addressing the President

The chapter president should conduct all meetings, and there should be a method for addressing them such as “Brother/Sister President.”

Obtaining the floor

Before speaking one must obtain the floor.  Do not speak before being recognized by the president by your name or title. 

Steps to making a motion

1. Motion is made by a member of the chapter, by using the words “I move to…”  The member must be recognized by the president.  When a member has the floor, he/she may speak until they resume his/her seat
2. The motion is seconded by another member, by saying “I second,” or “second.”
3. The President restates the question on the motion so that people may vote yes or no on the motion on the floor. 
4. The member who made the motion is entitled to be recognized for debate first.
5. No one is entitled to the floor for debate a second time if other members who have not yet debated wish to do so.
6. The president should attempt to alternate opposing opinions on a question if he/she is aware of members requesting the floor which have opposing views.

Amending a motion

This is necessary when the wording of a motion may not be necessarily agreed upon or clear.  It is handled the same as a main motion, it must be seconded and approved by a majority vote. 

Adjourning

Once all of the business of the meeting has taken place, and all of the motions have been voted on and completed, a motion to adjourn is made.  It is different than every other motion; it does not need to be seconded but does require a majority vote. 

Last minute tips on motions

Make sure your motions are clear, relevant, and appropriate to the time made in the meeting.

Sample Agenda

Call to Order
Approval of Agenda
Correction and Approval of Minutes
Announcements
Officer Reports
Committee Reports
Unfinished Business
New Business
Special Issues
Adjournment

Before the Meeting

1. Define the purpose of the meeting.  If there is not a purpose, do not have a meeting.
2. Develop an agenda and circulate a copy of it, along with any important background material such as lengthy documents or articles prior to the meeting so that members will feel informed and involved.
3. Choose an appropriate meeting time and date.  Post a sign or send an email to let members know of the date, time, place, dress code, estimated length, and purpose of the meeting.  Remember that other members have time commitments of their own.
4. If possible, arrange members so that they face each other.  For larger groups, try U-shaped rows.  A leader has better control when he/she is centrally located.  Make sure the location of the meeting is suited to the size of the group.

During the Meeting

5. Greet members and make them feel welcome, even the late ones.
6. If possible, serve light refreshments; they are good icebreakers.
7. Start on time. End on time.
8. Review the agenda and set priorities.
9. Stick to the agenda.
10. Encourage group discussion to get all viewpoints and ideas.  You will have better quality decisions as well as highly motivated members.
11. Encourage feedback.  Ideas, activities, and commitment to the organization improve when members see their impact on the decision-making process.
12. Keep conversation on topic, toward an eventual decision.  Feel free to ask for only constructive comments.
13. Delegate responsibilities and establish due dates.  Give members a voice in decision making.
14. Keep minutes of the meeting for future reference in case a question or problem arises.
15. Lead, be a model by listening, showing interest, appreciating and having confidence in members.  Admit your mistakes.
16. Summarize agreements reached and end the meeting on a unifying or positive note.  For example, have members volunteer thoughts of things they feel are good or successful, reciting a group’s creed, or a good of the order.
17. Set a date and time for the next meeting.

After the Meeting

18. Prepare and distribute minutes within 24 hours.  Quick action reinforces importance of meeting and reduces error of memory.
19. Discuss problems during the meeting with officers so that improvements can be made.
20. Follow-up on delegation decisions.  See that all members understand and carry out their responsibilities.
21. Give recognition and appreciation to excellent and timely progress.
22. Put unfinished business on the agenda for the next meeting.
23. Conduct a periodic evaluation of the meetings.  Weak areas can be analyzed and improved for more productive meetings.

Approval of the Minutes

At the beginning of a regularly scheduled meeting, copies of minutes of the previous meeting will be distributed or posted for review by chapter members.  The president then asks, “Are there any additions or corrections to the minutes?” and pauses.  Then the president says, “If there are no corrections” (or “no further corrections”) the minutes are approved as read.  No vote is required.

Point of Order

When a member thinks that the rules of the meeting are being violated, he/she may make a “point of order,” thereby, calling upon the president to make a ruling and enforce the regular rules.  A point of order:

• can be applied to any breach of the chapter’s rules.
• is in order when another has the floor.
• does not require a second.
• is not debatable unless the president, being in doubt, submits the point to a vote of the chapter, in which case the rules governing is debateability are the same as for an appeal.

Previous Question

The previous question is the motion used to bring the meeting to an immediate vote on one or more pending questions.  The motion for the previous question:

• takes precedence over all debatable or amendable motions to which it is applied.
• can be applied to any immediately pending debatable or amendable motion.
• is out of order when another has the floor.
• must be seconded.
• is not debatable.
• is not amendable.
• requires a 2/3 vote.

Postpone Indefinitely

A motion to postpone indefinitely is a motion that the chapter declines to take a position on the main question.  Its adoption kills the main motion, as least for the duration of the session, and avoids a direct vote on the question.  It is useful is disposing of a badly chosen main motion that cannot be either adopted or expressly rejected without possibly undesirable consequences.  The motion to postpone indefinitely:

• is out of order when another has the floor.
• must be seconded.
• is debatable.
• requires a majority vote.

Adjourn

To adjourn means to close the meeting.  The motion to adjourn is a motion to close the meeting immediately, made under conditions where some other provision for another meeting exists and where no time for adjourning the present meeting has already been set.  The motion to adjourn:

• is not applied to any motion and no motion can be applied to it.
• is out of order when another has the floor.
• does not need to be seconded.
• requires a majority vote.

Steps for presenting a motion

1. Obtain the floor.  Wait until the last speaker is finished.  Rise and address the chair.
2. Make your motion.  Speak clearly and concisely.  State your motion affirmatively, “I move that…”
3. Wait for a second.  Another member will say “I second the motion,” or the chair will call for a second.  If there is no second, your motion will not be considered.
4. Chairman the motion.  The president must say, “It is moved and seconded that we…”  After this happens, debate or voting can occur.  Your motion is now ‘assembly property’ and you cannot change is without the consent of the members.
5. Putting the question.  The president asks “Is there any further discussion.  Seeing none, we shall proceed to vote.”

Adapted from:

• AcCent on Leadership (handout), Oklahoma State University, August 1, 1989.  Jones, Garfield O.,
• Parliamentary Procedure at a Glance, Hawthorn/Dutton, New York, 1971. 
• Parliamentary Procedure, Channing L. Bete Co., Inc., South Deerfield, MA, 1974.

• Encouraging communication and involvement of all members.  “Our goal for the meeting today is…Does anyone see it differently?”

• Asking team members for opinions and feelings to encourage discussion.  “Do you agree with…?”

• Paraphrasing what someone has said to help members understand each other.  “What I’m hearing is…Is that right?”

• Probing an idea in greater depth.  “What are some other ways to approach this problem?”

• Suggesting a break or rest.  “We have been working on this problem for about an hour.  Why don’t we take a ten-minute break?”

• Moving the team toward action.  “I’d like some suggestions on possible ways to get started.”

• Polling members.  “How does everybody feel about this?”

• Recommending a process.  “I suggest we go around the table to see how everyone feels about this issue.”

• Getting back on track.  “How does what we’re talking about relate to our agenda item?”

• Exploring potential results.  “If we did it this way, what is the worst thing that could happen?”

• Moving toward decision.  “We have discussed both sides carefully.  It’s time we made a choice.”

Adapted from:

• Harrington-Mackin, D. (1994).  The Team Building Took Kit.  New York: AMACOM American Management Assocation.

Identify The Key Task

The first critical step is to recognize and track all the main tasks that the members of your group must accomplish.  Develop a task list for your group.  Define the task and establish your goals for a project.  Have a vision to carry through a project.

Delegate Each Task Appropriately 

Review the list in order to identify the tasks that you should do and those that can be delegated to the members of your group.  Choose members whose skills and personality styles match the assignment.  Empower members so as to provide them an opportunity to grow and be challenged.

Explain Each Task To Your Members

Define and clarify the nature of the task that is delegated to your members.  To ensure a collaborative approach, do properly communicate to all the members of your group as to what tasks and to whom it has been delegated.  Be sure to give specific directions and to make your expectations clear, for both quality and time frame.  Explain to the members clearly as to why the task is important and how it contributes to the organization as a whole.

Develop A Plan For Each Task Assigned

A sound plan in essential for the projects to succeed.  Good planning is a critical part of the delegation process.  The plan should define how the task will be accomplished, list the subtasks, and their completion dates.  Make sure your members have all the necessary resources to complete the assigned task.  Encourage your members to take a lead in developing the plan.

Monitor The Progress

Review the progress of each task on a regular basis.  Set checkpoints for both short-range and long-range projects.  Give members the freedom to perform and avoid close supervision.  Measure the success by quantifiable criteria.  Give praise and constructive criticism where it is due.  Try not to point the finger and look at a failed act of delegation as a learning opportunity.  Help your members to learn and grow through both their successes and failures.

Adapted from:

• Marquand, B (1993).  Effective Delegation.  Manage, 45(1), (pp. 10-12).
• http://sll.sdsu.edu/studentorgs/dev-brainstorming.html - Brainstorming for student organizations
• https://studentactivities.tamu.edu/app/training/ - Advisor module training
• http://sll.sdsu.edu/studentorgs/dev-ConstructiveFeedback.html - Constructive Feedback
• http://sll.sdsu.edu/studentorgs/dev-pass-baton.html - Student Organization Officer Transition
• http://sll.sdsu.edu/studentorgs/dev-meeting-agendas.html - Agendas
• http://sll.sdsu.edu/studentorgs/dev-icebreakers.html - Icebreakers
• http://sll.sdsu.edu/studentorgs/dev-advisor.html - Working with your advisor