A GUIDE FOR YOUTH ORGANIZATION PRESIDENTS
- Duties
- Preside over and conduct meetings according to accepted parliamentary procedure.
- Call special meetings.
- Keep members on the subject and within the time limit.
- Appoint committees and serve as ax-officio member.
- Represent the organization and speak on occasion.
- Coordinate organization efforts and check on progress.
- Keep order.
Preparing to carry out these duties.
- Become familiar with procedures of conducting meetings.
- Types of meetings
- Regular - scheduled and follows outline procedure.
- Special - does not follow outline procedure and handles urgent matters.
- Characteristics of satisfactory regular meetings
- They are carefully planned in advance by the executive committee and chapter advisor.
- They start and close on time.
- They proceed according to an established order of business.
- They are conducted according to an accepted parliamentary procedure. Officers become
very familiar with parliamentary procedure. It may be appropriate to have a
parliamentarian.
- Officers check committee reports and see that the chairs are prepared to give reports
before meetings begins.
- Good meetings combine good business and fun.
- Keep order
- Be firm - especially when ideals and principles are at stake, but try not to give
offense.
- Command respect at all meetings by holding firm to methods of addressing the chair and
discussing motions. Members will respect you for it - if fully carried out. They like to
see if you are a leader of the type that can be pushed around.
- Know the organization constitution and by-laws. Examples of things often included in
by-laws
- Use of funds.
- Use of organization equipment or facilities.
- Organization dues.
- Officer responsibilities.
- Meeting schedule.
- Know and follow the organization program of activities
- Have members volunteer for committees found on program of activities.
- Appoint members that are interested.
- Make clear to committee members what they are to accomplish.
- Recognize efforts and success of those serving on committees.
- Vice-president should be responsible for committees and have them give periodic reports.
- Develop good personal habits and characteristics
- Some pointers to follow:
- Be friends to all - keep them in good confidence (students, teachers, etc).
- Admit mistakes and avoid alibis.
- Refrain from hurting others.
- Discover personal strengths and areas for improvement.
- Develop good judgment (have facts before making statements or coming to conclusions).
- Be a good listener - don't try to dominate in conversations.
- Be a living example to others as to ideals, aims and moral character.
- Be prepared.
- Plan for success.
- Improve and have good speech; speak clearly and with strength.
- Be tactful.
- Show partiality to no one. (Be a referee), be fair.
- Hide unpleasant feelings. (Hold temper.)
- Dont be discouraged easily. (Go talk it over with the advisor.)
- Keep grades in good shape.
- Develop a respectable program as per the organization expectations.
- Be a real person - Avoid the "big head."
President's responsibility for the total program of the organization.
- Some points to remember
- The president is the one the members have selected to lead them and they will be looking
to that person for direction.
- The president will need the help of all members.
- The president should not try to do it all alone.
- Delegate others to do the work, but encourage and help them with suggestions and methods
of accomplishments.
- Use the friendship and favor system when asking a member to do a job; dont tell
them that "you, you and you" are to do the job.
- Always ask for volunteers first, dont use the draft system if it can be avoided.
- Give praise and honor for a job well done by those appointed.
- Work closely with the advisor.
- Give the other officers a share of the responsibility.
- The President and the Program of Activities
- Remember!...the organization should have a challenging, outlined program of activities
if it is to be successful.
- Dont leave it up to the advisor to make up the program of activities for the
members.
- Get the advisors help and suggestions, but most important of all, get the things
on the program that the members want.
- Help keep goals within reasonable reach or attainment. Check closely with the advisor.
- Check organization materials for methods of building and carrying out a chapter program
of activities.
- The President and Public Relations
- The president is generally considered as Mr./Miss FFA in the community.
- Be proud of the position and represent it well.
- Dont pass up opportunities to present the purposes of the organization to the
public.
- Dont pass up opportunities to give help to community drives and programs.
- Building and Keeping Standards of Performance
- Keep and/or improve the standards of performance.
- Some standards which need to be remembered:
- Knowing individual parts in ceremonies.
- Using good parliamentary procedure.
- Starting and ending meetings on time.
- Good conduct at all functions (set a good example).
- The President and Committee Work
- Put all members on some committee.
- Have the Vice-President responsible for checking with all committee chairs.
- Adequate Financing
- The organization cannot operate successfully on members dues alone.
- Be sure to plan several money-making activities for the year.
- Put a good person in charge of those activities.
- Plan them well in advance, so good publicity can be given.
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