TRIADOPTION ® Library, Inc. - CA ~ Pg 369-480

y DONNA CULLOM Founder and President Yesterdays Children - Chicago
1
The 5 "W's" serve as an excellent framework
for organizing an action oriented
group.
1. 14HO will constitute the leadsrship?
2. WHY is the group being,formed?
3. WHAT wi 11 goals and standards be?
i 4. WHERE will it be headquartered?
1 5. WHEN will activities begin?
Good Leadership is the essential ingredient
in an organization achieving its
goals. Usually the 'individual or individuals
whose ideas* inspired the formation of
the organization will form the nucleus of
'the leadership. However, it is important
#not to over1 ook the talents and enthus.i asm
of 0the.r group members in delegating leaa-
,ershi,p posi tions .
The formation of an interest group is
similar to the construction of a house.
'First the foundation is laid and then the
supporting structure. Only when those
elemental items are so1id.ly in place can
the trim be added.
A strong foundation and superstructure
require a sense of unity amor;g the leadership.
While it is important to be open to
varying ideas and points of view, endless
debate does not result in the work getting
.done. Consequently; a unified stance,
regardless of potenti a1 persona1 differences
amongst the leadership nucleus, wi 11
allow the group to move from the philosophy
stage to the action stage. No group of any
kind can actiieve its goals without moving
on to the myriad of tasks necessary to
convert dreams i nto real i ty . Oftentimes ,
it is necessar, to confer ultimate authority
in one person, subject to some checks
and balances, in order to put in motion and
effectuate the day-to-day affairs of thc
group.
Why a group is formed generally is the
result of one or more persons be1 ieving in
a particular goal or philosopny and in the
,strength of collective action in achieving
the goal or in moving others to accept the
philosophy . The goal or phi losophy becomes
a rallying point'around which strength is
built through members. The less complex
the goal or the #more unassailable the
philosophy , the greater the chance there
will be to attract the interest and
contribution of others.
Accordingly , the purpose of the group
must be stated clearly and convincingly
and it must be fully supported by the
leaders hip nucleus .
Where it is headquartered is vital to
the growth and practical operation of
an organization. The headquarters should
be easily accessible by public and private
transportation. Oftentimes the qua1 i ty of
the neighborhood or the good reputation of
the city lends prestige to the organization.
Space is also important to the
functioning of the organization since it
will be necessary to keep voluminous
records and perform a great deal of clerical
work. Also, the group must consider
:its potential receipts in budgeting such
overhead i tems as suppl ies , machinery,
:mailing costs and office space. Often
some of these items are contributed, but
some expense to the organization is to
be expected.
When do you begin operations? Not only
must the leadership be physically and
emotionally prepared to move ahead, but
the organization must be legally able to
operate. A1 1 states have Jaws governing
the registration and chartering of groups
whi ch sol i ci t funds (whether non-profi t
or profit). It may be a good idea to
incorporate so that the leadership 'is insulated
from personal liability. If so,
it will be necessary to obtain legal
.advise and aid in developing a charter and
by-laws. A1 so, the organization should
seek a tax-exempt status from the internal
revenue service in order to protect its
funds from federal and state taxes. To
ignore the legal aspects of the groups
existence i s fool hardy.
How to establish constant and progressive
growth in the group is dependent
upon how good the leadership and service
of the group is. Is your leadership
.strong, reliable, efficient? Does your
group deliver the service it says it will?
Is there public awareness of your gr~up?
Television, radio and newspapers are a
good way of bringing the group to the
attention of the public. Good publfc
relations is the key to speedy growth.
The reason some action groups do not
succeed is because their wishbone is