Most times, the health of a club can be determined by the condition of its club leadership. If the club leadership is fresh and enthusiastic, the club will tend to thrive. However, if the leadership is tired and burned-out, then the club will suffer. Does your club have a fun but robust run for leadership positions or do incumbents run unopposed? Do people eagerly volunteer or do they have to be emotionally bribed into taking a leadership role?
Negativity and apathy are poisons when trying to build a healthy club. To build a healthy club, you must have happy and enthusiastic leadership. And in order to have happy leadership, you must have appreciation.
True appreciation of people in the spotlight is a rare commodity these days. Instead, people seem to delight in their downfall. Evidence of this is everywhere as our media spreads the word of the latest demise- from Fergie & Tiger to Barrack Obama. Why does society get so much pleasure from seeing others fail?
Some people, though, are born leaders and they simply love to be in charge. They don't need a lot of persuading to assume a leadership role. But not even your die-hard Type A personalities want to be at the helm if they know that they are not going to be appreciated. And their willingness (or unwillingness!) to assume leadership roles in your clubs will be based in large part on their observations of what has happened with the current or previous administrations.
Do your club officers and leaders feel appreciated? Use the following checklist as a starting point to see if your leaders are being appreciated or taken for granted.
1. Do club officers serve because they want to or because they have to (since no one else will step up)?
2. Is there a consistent slate of people anxious to run for offices every year?
3. When their term is up, are the officers anxious and eager to serve again?
4. Are dance fees and club dues waived for at least the most active/prominent officers (i.e. President, Treasurer, Banner Chair) while they are in office ?
5. Are dangles that designate their position provided to the officers by the club (and do they get to keep them)?
6. Does your club issue a press release to local newsletters and community papers to announce and introduce newly elected officers?
7. Do members eagerly and consistently volunteer to help the officers with the everyday club operations (or are leaders left to shoulder responsibilities alone since it is seen as "their job")?
8. Do club members regularly encourage and compliment the leaders on the job they are doing (or do members "corner" the officers at every chance to complain or perhaps ignore them until the members "need" something)?
9. Does the club have an annual event to honor the officers (i.e. an appreciation dinner, award presentation, etc.)?
10. Perhaps the most telling sign is... do your club officers continue to dance regularly at your club once their term is over?
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