2019 Mid-Year Report

INVESTING IN LEADERSHIP
Leadership development is a key component
to any organization’s sustainable success.
In January 2018, we launched the Emerging
Leaders Program (ELP) to begin the groundwork
of shifting the culture of our workforce to one
that models the idea that “Great Leadership Creates
Great Workplaces Creates Great Club Experiences”.
Starting with ELP, we identify cohorts of staff who participate
in a year-long experience that is a combination
of learning, and on-the-job practicing of the Five
Practices of Exemplary Leadership from The Leadership
Challenge (Kouzes
and Posner). Understanding
that leadership
is everyone’s business,
this year the Mission Support
Leadership team, in
addition to a new cohort
of program staff, completed
the Leadership
Challenge. This helps us
further ensure that leadership
isn’t something we just teach, but something
we live and breathe as an organization.
Our onboarding process includes learning
of our employee’s career goals, so that we
may present learning opportunities and
experiences for staff that would help prepare
them for the next step in their career.
Stretch Assignments: Staff are encouraged to
step outside of their comfort zone. Each site hosts
local Club events, and receives coaching and support
from Mission Support. This requires staff to step
outside of their normal programming role, and for a
brief period of time, provides them with experience
in event planning and coordination. Just one example
of how we encourage staff to push beyond the
limits they have set for themselves.
Mentoring: All ELP graduates have a big role upon
their completion of the program, and that is to serve
as mentors to future
ELP participants. Even
beyond that, they take
on the duty and understanding
that they are
effectively mentors and
role models for all staff
and members. They participate
and give feedback
as guests at ELP
meetings, and provide
guidance to participants when they are given specific
organizational tasks.
According to the Wall Street Journal, some of the
key elements to leadership development are job
rotation, stretch assignments, mentoring and veteran
advice. Here is some of what we do:
Job Rotation: We provide opportunities for Club
staff to assist, collaborate and work with different
Clubs and departments within the organization.
Our onboarding process includes learning of our
employee’s career goals, so that we may present
learning opportunities and experiences for staff that
would help prepare them for the next step in their
career. Club staff are also offered opportunities to
assist in other areas, such as resource development
and operations, as a way to introduce them to different
roles within the organization.
Veteran Advice: In addition to the mentoring,
graduates of ELP are provided mentors from the
organization’s Board of Directors. Board members
are diverse in their skill sets and accomplishments,
from educators to business CEOs, and everything
in-between. Their years of experience in their
respective fields has proven to be invaluable as
they work with our young staff who are navigating
through the early years of their life.
Investing in leadership is a necessity as we are
shaping the leaders of tomorrow. We want our Club
members to thrive and have great futures as leaders.
One of the best ways to instill that in them is to
do so through our staff. This is how we become an
organization of excellence.
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