Inspirational Person of the Month: Elizabeth Holmes

A few weeks ago, the Leadership Committee asked you whom we should profile as our “Inspirational Person of the Month.” When I sat down to review the suggestions, only one stood out. Elizabeth Holmes was a good choice. She’s contemporary, she’s amazingly smart, and she’s using her superpowers for the good of all mankind.

Breaking Through at Age 19

As a young student at Stanford University, Ms. Holmes was already a go-getter, studying abroad during her summers and using that knowledge to create a device that would monitor patients’ blood and administer medications at the correct dosages. She filed the patent in 2003 and began building a business. A dozen years later, Ms. Holmes owns 18 patents in the United States and 66 abroad—and is listed as a co-inventor on more than 100 more patent applications. Today, her company, Theranos, is valued at more than $9 billion and is licensed to run its 200 tests in all 50 states.

STEM Opportunities for Our Youth

How is Ms. Holmes an inspiration? Simple. She embodies the reasons we as leaders should encourage our students to pursue their dreams in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. The world is moving almost faster than we can keep up with it, but the youth of today are sharp. Ms. Holmes chased her dream, and we as Altrusans can at the very least support those young men and women who would love nothing more than to chase theirs and change the world.

You can learn more about Elizabeth Holmes at this link:
http://www.tedmed.com/speakers/show?id=308981

Please comment below to share your own wisdom and thoughts.

Long Range Strategic Planning

by Laure Bruner, Leadership Development and Training Committee

Every successful organization needs a guide or a road map, so to speak, to show them the way to remain successful. Altrusa is no exception. Whether on the International, District, or Club level, we all need a plan for the future. We call these plans long-range strategic plans.

Many club presidents cringe when they realize they need to update their club’s strategic plan—or create one! Creating or updating your LRSP need not be a chore, nor should it be a one-person task. Good planning takes a committee dedicated to advancing one’s club. If your club does not have a LRSP Committee, consider creating one to forge the vision of moving your club forward.

Work on your LRSP should not be left until the start of the club year. It is something that can and should be worked on throughout the club year, or at the very latest, started on in January to have it finalized and in place by the start of the next year.

And don’t fret; there are tools in place to help you with your planning. Model your plan—and your goals—after the LRSP of International and your District. Use the tools on the International website to get your footing and create something SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely!

Here are some simple steps to help you create/update your club’s plan:

1. Use your district’s and International’s LRSP as a template to set your own club’s goals to be unique to your own club’s dynamics and community.
2. Identify your club’s strengths and weaknesses, then set goals that highlight your strengths and improve upon your weaknesses. If your strength is service projects, set goals that stretch your service even further. If your weakness is membership retention, develop goals to keep members involved, happy, and connected.
3. Keep your goals realistic. Little can be more of a turn-off for members than seeing goals that are obviously unattainable. This applies to both short-term and long-term goals. Every goal should come with a reasonable plan to reach the finish line.
4. Ask your club members for ideas on where they would like to see improvements made, and challenge them to come up with ideas to make these improvements.
5. Make sure that your LRSP is in a format that is easily understood by all, otherwise it will not be read or followed. The plan does not have to be lengthy, but it should be complete and concise.
6. Highlight at least one goal for each of the four major committees—Finances, Communications, Service, and Membership Development—and all their subcommittees. Goals should be set for fundraising, all areas of communication from keeping members informed to spreading the word about Altrusa; member recruitment and retention; and keeping up with prior service commitments while searching for more areas to serve.
7. Don’t forget to include a goal for awards submission to get members excited about participation. 
8. Remember to set goals for training your club’s upcoming leaders to take the reins when the opportunity arises. One example of such a goal would be to hold biannual leadership training classes to help those considering leadership roles in coming years the tools they need to succeed.
9. Identify each person(s) or committee(s) responsible for seeing that the goal is achieved.
10. Set target dates by which each goal should be achieved, but don’t get your feathers ruffled if the goal is not achieved on time. Instead, work with your members to get the goal met as soon as feasible.
11. Monitor your strategic plan throughout the year and make adjustments as needed. If a goal has been met by the first half of the year, consider raising it and challenge your members to meet the new goal. If a goal seems to have become unattainable, decide whether it should be removed or if additional effort needs to be poured into it.

And as with all things, remember that your District and International leaders are always available to help you if you hit a road block. There is a wealth of information on the International website that is constantly being updated. If you need help, do not be afraid to ask for it! Your success is Altrusa’s gain!

International Day of Peace: Partnerships for Peace—Dignity for All

Today is the UN’s designated International Day of Peace, a celebration designed to encourage peace among all people and all nations. With controversy at every turn in these modern times, there might be no better day of recognition. Celebrations today will be both elaborate and simple, public and private. As leaders, Altrusans are called to make a difference. The Leadership Development and Training Committee hopes that you will ponder how your life can be used to the greater good of furthering peace worldwide, or right where you are.

Messengers of Peace

The UN Messengers of Peace are charged with spreading good news and furthering the mission of the United Nations. To the world, they are public figures—leaders in art, music, science, entertainment, sports, or some other realm, but the Messengers are also passionate human beings with a desire to see peace on Earth. They are leaders. Read more about them here: http://outreach.un.org/mop/

Peace on the World Wide Web

Find the International Day of Peace on Facebook and online at http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/.

Please comment below to share your own wisdom and thoughts.

Inclusion in Altrusa Leadership

If you were at the 2011 International Convention in Rapid City, S.D., you saw the unveiling of Altrusa’s logo and heard a little bit about our brand drivers: clarity, flexibility, and inclusion. An organization’s or company’s brand drivers are what they use to define themselves; when you see Altrusa’s logo, we want you to immediately think of clarity, flexibility, and inclusion.

Today: Inclusion. We recently asked our Facebook group members (if you aren’t one, you should be) what “inclusion” in Altrusa leadership means. The responses fell neatly (the blogger thanks you) into three categories.

Diversity

Being inclusive means recognizing the need for diversity in our clubs. It means opening your membership to potential Altrusans of all races, sexes, ages, creeds, statuses, etc. But on a deeper level, leadership by inclusion means you not only accept diverse traits in people, but you also embrace them. Leadership Committee Chair Bev Herzog commented that finding the personal connection is important. While you capitalize on the unique qualities that every new Altrusan brings, you also forge a relationship with that person by looking past your differences to find common ground. Embrace what makes us different, rejoice in what makes us the same.

Involvement

Former Altrusa Executive Director Josie Lucente reminded us to get new members involved early. Another definition of inclusion is allowing (Yes, allowing! Let go of your need to control, leaders!) new members to have their voices heard and to get involved right away. Remember, many of us became Altrusans to provide service; allow those new people to get their hands dirty right away. They are our future leadership; consider this on-the-job training! Don’t let their enthusiasm (or their idea of what Altrusa inclusion is) wane.

Leading by Example

International President Silvia Silverman summed up inclusion quite nicely by borrowing a slogan from Nike: Just do it! Be a leader and lead by example to ensure that inclusion permeates every aspect of our organization. It’s not enough to think you are a leader; you must also act like one.

Please comment below to share your own wisdom and thoughts.

International Literacy Day Is Tomorrow. How Will YOU Step Up?

The United Nations chose “Literacy and Sustainable Societies” as its 2015 theme for International Literacy Day. Altrusans can, collectively and individually, do a lot to help on a local level or a worldwide scale. It’s all about how you look at it.

The Leadership Committee isn’t here to tell you what service projects you can do for Literacy Day (or Month), or how to best write your award entry for the Letha H. Brown Literacy Award. What we are here to do is to guide you—our Altrusa leaders—into leadership roles that serve. So here’s a suggestion for tackling Literacy Day (or any other Altrusa event).

First, Understand the Problem

The first step is to understand the problem. Do your research. Find out from your local chamber of commerce, education foundation, or other organization the extent of illiteracy where you live. Is there one particular group that is underserved? You might elect to assist that group. If your Club has adopted a local school, speak with the principal about its particular literacy needs. Get the facts, ma’am!

Then, Brainstorm the Solution

The next step: Brainstorm the solution. That’s where the ideas of your members are invaluable. Let everyone’s voice be heard. Once you’ve targeted a problem, pose this question: What is one thing that is needed to eradicate this problem? And move on from there to the next question: How do we go about getting that one thing? And maybe follow it with this: What can we do to implement a legacy of literacy that reaches beyond just this particular project on this particular day?

Don’t let self-imposed limitations squelch your brainstorming. Think big—a complete solution—and worry about how to make it happen later. Remember, you first have to have the vision!

And Then, Implement the Solution (and Tell the World!)

Lastly, implement the solution. You’ve figured it out. You might think it’s well over your head. But here is where the administration of leadership comes in. Divide and conquer. Delegate tasks based on skill sets, enthusiasm, and desire among the people on your team. Encourage them to take their individual parts and make them the very best they can be.

And when all is said and done, follow up. Start by thanking everyone who was involved. A handwritten note that calls out an individual’s specific contributions will help instill pride and trust in people, regardless of their role. Don’t forget anyone! Continue by writing up a success story to share with your local media, including your own Club and District. Let your voices be heard, and let the public see how well you’re doing. (Leaders know when crossover marketing is effective!) And lastly, document everything for those award entries, because receiving an award is a public acknowledgment for your entire team—a virtual pat on the back for a job well done that is recognized by others. Caring to write up the entry is a gift you give to your team.

Please comment below to share your own wisdom and thoughts.