Although there are leaders that stay with their Venture through the years, most leaders must pass their Venture on to younger members as they move on to the next stage in their lives. How will your team put new leaders in place if current leaders leave? Here are a few tips to help your Venture have strong, ongoing leadership.
Choose new leaders wisely.
When your team is deciding on a new leader, they should select a person who is mature, shares their vision, understands the long-term goals, and is passionate enough to sustain the Venture. It is also helpful to reflect on whether the person has been a contributing member of the Venture in the past.
Encourage potential leaders.
Keep an eye on active people within your Venture and give them opportunities to assume some of the leadership responsibilities.
Invite others to shadow you.
One of the best ways to show new leaders the ropes is to have them observe the current leader during a meeting or event. They can get a feel for what the leadership role will be like and see what kinds of work the leader does on a regular basis.
Bridge the age gap.
Try to maintain good communication between younger and older members. A fun way to get younger and older members together is to have a retreat. This can be a time for goal-setting, brainstorming, and getting to know each other.
Keep records.
The leader should make sure important information, such as contacts, meeting notes, account information, and passwords, is passed on. The leader should also keep notes on “lessons learned” while he/she was in charge. Good records will enable a smooth transition of leadership.
Let others know about the transition.
Tell all Venture-related contacts that your team is planning to pass on the leadership, so those contacts and the new leader can work together in the future. The current leader may want to set up an introductory meeting with the important contacts so that he/she can personally introduce the new leader to these people.
Keep in touch.
Don’t abandon your Venture once you have passed it on. Keep in touch with the new generation of leaders and members and give them the support they need.
More YV Tip Sheets
"Leaders aren't born, they are made. They are made just like anything else; through hard work. That is the price we have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal."
-Vince Lombardi
© Youth Venture, 2007. All rights reserved.
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| Sustainable Leadership.pdf | 355.25 KB |