As volunteers, we work hard to plan good programs, secure interesting speakers and find a good location. And ten people show up. Why aren’t members attending meetings?
It can be a challenge to get people in the door for a program.
However, some AWC chapters draw more than 60% of their memberships to monthly meetings. What are they doing – or not doing?
Summer break might be a good time to reflect and rethink: What’s holding the chapter back? Why isn’t your chapter growing?
It could be one or more of these five things.
Failure to Plan as a Team
Chapter committees and the board need to function as a team. One cannot succeed without the help of others.
I was once a member of a chapter in another organization that struggled to get programs planned in advance and news of events out on time.
People did not have time to get it on their calendars which resulted in low attendance.
One solution: Ask members to co-chair a committee. The co-chairs work as a team. They back each other up and get the job done by dividing the responsibilities. One co-chair stays on a second year to help the new co-chair learn the ropes. This system often makes filling committee and board positions easier.
Committee co-chairs move on to board positions or take a break; new committee members join and a healthy board succession process is established. Successful chapters establish a board of directors that works as a supportive team.
Lack of Inclusivity
Have you ever walked into room and felt unwelcome? Inclusivity takes on many forms – race, gender, political beliefs, age, special needs, thought process, differences of opinion, just to name a few. Thriving chapters make each person feel accepted and appreciated. They are open to new ideas and suggestions. If you welcome people, and their ideas, you are one step closer to gaining a new member.
Failure to Engage
Do you reach out to guests with a phone call or coffee after the event? This practice is a great way to grow your chapter. Contacting guests within two weeks of an event greatly increases the likelihood that they will join.
How well do you know chapter members? Does anyone meet with new or renewing members one-on-one?
To successfully engage chapter members, you need to meet them in person – not by email. Does someone personally ask members how they would like to be engaged with the chapter? This is how you find your future leaders
Fear
Fear and negativity may be the most harmful characteristics a chapter can face. If allowed to thrive, they can cripple – or worse – destroy a chapter.
Fear in chapters looks something like this.
Experienced leaders are afraid to turn over the reins to someone new: “No one can do this the way that we do it” or “I know how to do this; it’s easier for me to do it than to find and train someone new.”
Newcomers are afraid to step into leadership roles: “I’ve never done this before” or “I’ll never be able to do it as well as they did.”
And the circle of fear begins. If it continues, experienced members get burned out. And there is no one to replace them. Not only is there no growth, as time goes on, there is no chapter.
How can a chapter avoid getting trapped in the circle of fear?
New members need to be cultivated for positions on committees and eventually the board. A good goal is to have a mix of 67% existing board members and 33% new.
Negativity
As volunteers, we want to serve on a board that is enjoyable and productive. Do board members treat each other and members with optimism, integrity and kindness? Are conversations among members peppered with appreciation or criticism? New members pick up on the vibe or culture of the chapter. Negative leaders have the potential to seriously hinder chapter growth.
Gallup polls shows that negativity hurts productivity, creativity and drives people away from organizations. Professor Kim S. Cameron, co-founder of Center for Positive Organizations, cites “Organizations characterized by virtuous practices – for example forgiveness, compassion, integrity, trust, optimism, kindness – tended to avoid the declining performance associated with downsizing.” Although these studies refer to the workplace, the same applies to volunteer organizations like our AWC chapters.
As a chapter member and/or leader, ask yourself, “Are my actions and my words virtuous or critical?” If you consistently see what has not been done, who did not complete a task or frequently ask why something wasn’t done differently, then you bring negativity to the table and harm to the chapter.
In summary, five things that will help rather than hinder chapter growth are:
- Cultivate a positive culture.
- Each year, bring on new board members, committee members and chapter members.
- Plan ahead as a team.
- Practice complete inclusivity with regard to ideas, people, and more.
- Develop relationships with the members, learn what they want to do and engage them.
Overcoming negativity takes time however, it can be done. This Forbes article gives some helpful pointers.
As the chapter begins a new year, seize the opportunity to evaluate these areas and make adjustments that promote growth and positivity.
About the Author
LaDonna Greiner is the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Association for Women in Communications (AWC). She is the president of LG Consulting & Training LLC, an author, photographer, speaker and life-long student of gratitude. Her book series, 21 Reasons to Say Thank You, offers real-life examples and suggestions to help you discover the power of gratitude and act on it. She is a Certified Facilitator for Appreciation at Work and a frequent speaker who coaches audiences and individuals on how to live a more fulfilling life through gratitude and appreciation.
Connect with LaDonna
For AWC business, email her at [email protected]
