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STEPS TO
SUCCESS
TEN THINGS YOU MUST DO TO RUN A
SUCCESSFUL CHAPTER
We are not a service club; we are not a social
club. Your chapter exists to develop the future leaders of the
global community! It is up to you to be in charge of your own
Leadership Development. You are the person responsible for your
chapter's success or failure!
1. Hold a general Membership meeting every month.
2. Instill a sense of responsibility into your membership
3. Have a guest speaker at the every monthly meeting.
4. Publish a monthly newsletter.
5. Talk to your membership constantly.
6. Run at least one training seminar per quarter.
7. Stop running projects that are old and past their usefulness.
8. If you are the President, never forget it. Always act like
one.
9. Go out and sell your chapter, everywhere you go.
10. Never forget why your chapter exists.
(Reprinted form the Central Region "Communicator,"
Canada Jaycees.)
Promoting the value of Jaycees
Why should we pay dues to State and National?
We will start our own community club.
The way I answer this statement is to compare
that to starting a local hamburger stand vs opening a McDonald's
franchise. It costs a little more to buy a McDonald's franchise,
but you get a well respected name, excellent training, a business
plan, district, regional, state and national support and a proven
product that works.
With a local hamburger stand you have to start from zero with
none of these advantages. How many times they have seen a local
food place go out of business? How many failed McDonald's
restaurants they have seen. An organization with
outside support stands a much better chance of success.
We use this comparison to explain to newer Jaycees the value
of being associated with the State and National. It is logical
and easily grasped. I thought maybe you could use it.
Sincerely,
Mike Marshall, 63rd President
PROMISE
YOURSELF
To be strong that nothing can
disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity
to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that
there is something special in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and
make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the
best and expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success
of others as you are your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on
to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give
every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for
anger, too strong for fear, and too
happy to permit the presence of trouble.
--Kristone
Success
To laugh often and love much;
to win the respect of intelligent
persons and the affection of children;
to earn the approbation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty; to find the best in
others; to give of one's self; to leave the
world a bit better, whether by a healthy
child, a garden patch or a redeemed social
condition; to have played and laughed with
exultation; to know that even one life has
breathed easier because you have lived --
this is to have succeeded.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Did anyone take notice that one of the most all
around good guys of this generation is no longer around to fight
for Truth, Justice and the American Way? Fictional or not,
Superman was around for 54 years and influenced many young
readers through his heroic deeds in the comic books, newspapers,
television, and the movies. He was constantly defending us
against natural disasters, villains, and sometimes even
ourselves.
I guess that I've been wondering whether he was destroyed by a
creature called Doomsday, just so the comic book publishers could
make a fast buck, or is it a sign of the times? Are most of our
Heroes and Heroines being sold out or not living up to our
expectations? This sudden departure of Superman and some recent
attitude changes on my own behalf has really caused me to review
Superman's life and my own ideals on heroism as well.
In retrospect there is no doubt that the character of Superman
was unsurpassed in mighty deeds. But lets take a look at the the
costs to the man of steel to achieve these feats. The first one
that comes to mind is that he was one of a kind, like from
another planet, singular, different from the rest of us. Well at
times I think that this must have been really hard to handle
being so alone. Secondly, he had to be Clark Kent part of the
time (or should we say a secret identity) so that he wouldn't
have to live up to everybody's expectations 24 hours a day and
maybe as Clark he could experience a semblance of everyday life.
Third but no less important, what about his relationship with
Lois? I guess to answer that question I should ask another. What
woman would be able to have her man flying off to parts unknown
at a moments notice at anytime? Some partners could handle their
significant other flying off maybe once a week or once a month,
but being a Super Hero has its costs.
Presently looking at my past involvement in the Jaycee
organization I too work real hard to be a Super Hero, not for the
glory, or self gratification. But because of lack of heroes
available for the job. Well, I've found that like Superman, the
Job of Super Hero does have its costs, being different for
example is not always an advantage because come people do
genuinely admire you for those qualities while others wonder what
planet you came from and will always question your intentions.
Also expectations called for in this job of Super Hero are very
demanding, leaving very little time for the Clark side (balance),
and Lois. Even trying to be a Super Hero has its costs and only
the lessons learned and time will tell if it was worth it for
this Did/Didn't Wannabe Super Hero.
Personally I think Superman let himself be destroyed because of
the demands called for in his profession a and perhaps (because
I'm a romantic at heart) because of Lois. As for me, I'm retiring
to regain balance and you might say getting ready for someday, a
Lois in my like. No one should feel that they have to try to make
up for what others are not doing. The answer is simple, we need
more regular Heroes. More regular Heroes or heroines can do the
tasks at hand better than one Super Hero. So please for
yourselves and for the ideals that this organization stands for
"Tell
Everyone Everything about the Jaycees" and send all the
Super Heroes into early retirement so that they will be around if
we really need them. The Job is simple ask people to join, it
makes the job of being a Hero easy if there is more of the.
The Tates Family: First there is Dick Tate, who
wants to run everything. Then there is Ro Tate, who tries to
change everything. Agi Tate stirs up trouble whenever possible
and Iri Tate always lends him a hand.
Whenever new ideas are suggested Hesi Tate and Vegi Tate pour
cold water on them. Imi Tate tries to copy everyone. Devas Tate
loves to be disruptive, and Poten Tate wants to be a big shot.
But it's Facili Tate, Cogi Tate, and Medi Tate who always save
the day, getting everyone to Cooperate.
A Jaycee is ignorant, and he has a distorted
sense of values. He is so ignorant that he doesn't know some
things are impossible, and he goes ahead and does them. He is so
backward that he still believes in the old ideals that made this
country great. He denies the proposition that it's not what you
know, but whom you know, and thinks that success comes to a man
who can deliver the goods. He is so mixed up that he thinks it's
better to be right than rich, and he can rise highest by staying
on the level. He thinks it is better to be free than secure -
better to run his own government than to beg from it - and he
looks for a helping hand at the end of his own arm.
A Jaycee is so inexperienced that he can't solve a community
problem by sitting in an air conditioned office and drifting off
into the cool stratosphere of abstract thought. He has to put his
shoulder to the wheel and his hand in God's hand, and pray like a
lost sinner while he totes the barges and lifts the bales.
You can't recognize a Jaycee just by looking at him. To thousands
of poor children at Christmas time, he looks like Santa Claus. To
millions of citizens who see him sweating in the summer heat to
get out the vote, he looks like Uncle Sam in a limp shirt. To the
forgotten people in the polio wards and the TB hospitals who
depend on fellows like him to gather money that saves human life,
he looks like an angel. And to the political crooks and
demagogues who creep into the local governments to pull down the
wool curtain of secrecy, close the doors of public office, and
steal away the peoples' liberties, he looks like a hangman.
And even if you know a Jaycee today, you won't know him tomorrow.
Today he may be an obscure clerk; but after awhile in the Jaycees
- after getting into the bloodstream of community affairs - he'll
be hiring and firing clerks by the dozen. Today he may be a
follower; tomorrow he will be a leader. But in the meantime he
will spend time on committees, or running around on cold nights
helping some kind of improvement projects, or standing on a
street corner with a loud speaker telling people to give, and
vote, and go, and come and listen and be concerned. and he will
start getting public recognition; and people he doesn't know from
Adam will call him by name on the street; and he will be on
speaking terms with hundreds he never knew before; and his boss
will begin to realize what a valuable employee he is; and his
fellow citizens will be turning to him for leadership. And he
will be lucky if his wife loves him enough to gripe like the
dickens because he doesn't spend more time at home.
But his real reward will be the comfortable realization that he
is doing things that build communities and states and nations. He
can say with solemn pride that wile others stayed in the
background, he came forward and threw down the gauntlet to every
form of injustice that hung over his communities and neighbors.
He can say that while others were following the crowd, he
followed his conscience; and that he was working to keep every
dot and dash in the Constitution while others were only concerned
with putting dollar signs on the ledger. When someone was merely
yelling, "Throw the rascal out!", he was ready to step
in. While others were pointing at the dirt, he was swinging a
broom...
John Ben Shepperd
Former Attorney General
State of Texas
Past President, Texas Jaycees
Past National President
United States Jaycees 1947-48
SUCCESS
BEGINS WITH THE TEAM WE WILL PLAY ON
-Jim Savage
Winning is accomplished by great people. Great
people are ordinary people with extraordinary amounts of
determination...to use the ability they have.
In his opening comments at our three-day "Born to Win"
seminar, Zig Ziglar corporation President, Ron Ezinga, clarifies
the statement,"you are born to win," by saying,
"There isn't such a thing as a born winner..."Born to
Win" simply means that we are all born with the opportunity
to win!"
So, YOU are afforded the opportunity to DO and BE something
special, because you are BORN WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!
ATHLETIC VS. LIFE
Because I spent so much of my life involved in teaching and
coaching, I sincerely believe that athletics are very much like
the game of life. Those who participate learn great lessons.
Every team begins the game with the opportunity to win. We
excitedly witnessed our United States hockey team defeat a more
talented Soviet team in the 1980 Olympics; while in 1988 we sadly
watched as our basketball team lost to and inferior group of
Soviet players. We learned that the outcome is always in
question...regardless of what the match-ups may look like on
paper.
And those who witnessed the event, will never forget the
individual effort and heroics of Greg Louganis, who crashed into
the diving board head first and overcame this adversity to win
the gold Medal in diving for his country. What an inspiration!
THE GAME OF LIFE
As you and I make the decision to DO and BE something special in
the game of life, we begin with the opportunity to win big - or
fail miserably. What makes the difference? Success begins with
choosing the team we will play on. Chicago has the
"Bears," Dallas has the "Cowboys," New
Orleans has the "Saints," Los Angeles has the
"Rams" and "Raiders," Phoenix has the
"Cardinals," and on and on. However, the teams you and
I will choose form exist in every city and town in the world, so
let's identify them by the "mascots." While there are
many choices, most choose between four:
1. The All-cities "Yabuts":
The "Yabuts" think they know how to win, as a matter of
fact they talk about it quite convincingly... up to a point. When
told they have an opportunity to be successful, the conversation
goes something like this, "Yabut, you know that I don't sell
very will in the last three months of the
year"...or."Yabut, the weather is so bad here at that
time of the year"...or,"Yabut, I think I'm getting a
cold"..."Yabut..." I think you get the picture. A
wise man once said, "Nobody is defeated until he starts
blaming SOMEONE OR SOMETHING else." The "Yabuts"
have the answer. It just happens to be the wrong answer.
2. The All-cities "Gunnadues":
The "Gunnadues" are some of the best-intentioned folks
you could ever meet. They really understand winning, and they
would have won - if they had only followed through. They study
the success principles very carefully, and just as success drifts
past them, they realize what they were "gunnadue."
Their conversation goes like this, "Yes, I know it's
important to be on time for work and meetings and I was gunnadue
that, but there was a great late movie on last night and I just
couldn't turn off the T.V." Or they might say, "I
really was gunnadue my correspondence on a timely basis, but I
misplaced my file and by the time it turned up..." The
"Gunnadues" never really understood the old saying,
"We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, others
judge us by what we do!" If they had only done what they
were gunnadue.
3. The All-cities "Wushawooda's":
the "Wushawooda's" have an excellent perspective on
success...hindsight. They say, "I really wushawooda kept
track of how I was spending my time." They "wush they
wooda" been kinder, smiled more often, taken time for their
families, paid more attention to their friends and not been ruled
by the "tyranny of the urgent."
"Wushawooda's" don't understand that
"Permissiveness is simply neglect of duty." They know
everything about success...after the fact.
4. The All-cities "Gladidids":
The "Gladidids" are truly a special group. The
"Wushawood's" drive the "Gladidids" homes and
admire them on weekends. The "Gunnadues" wanted to join
them, but just couldn't quite get around to it. The
"Yabuts" could have been "Gladidids", yabut
destiny didn't smile on them.
You can hear the sounds of the "Gladidids" as they say
things like, "Man I'm sure glad I did what my professor
asked me to do on that assignment. Not only did I make a good
grade, but I learned many things that will help me in the
future." Or, "I sure am glad I didi what I told the
boss I was going to do. It seemed like a minor project, but it
really was important to her."
The "Gladidids" are pleased that they were disciplined
enough to do what they should instead of always doing what they
wanted to do...like the "Yabuts, Gunnadues, and
Wushawood's"
As you are choosing the team you will join, let me encourage you
to consider the advice of the ancient Proverb that says, "He
that walketh with wise men shall be wise." (Proverbs 13:20)
The good news is that you can change teams anytime you really
want to. So, why not accept the challenge of joining up (and
winning) with the "Gladidids" in 1993 - you'll be GLAD
- U - DID!
Jim Savage is Vice President of Training and Consulting for the
Zig Ziglar Corporation. He co-authored the book, TOP PERFORMANCE
with Zig and is in great demand as a speaker and consultant in
people skills training.
IS A TANK KILLING YOUR CHAPTER?
Janet Harding, Maryland Jaycees
Almost every chapter has one. You know, that
person who thinks that their way is always the best, and will go
to any length to bully his way through. The meetings run overtime
because he or she constantly dominates the conversation with
their perspective. Let's face it, meetings are, for the most
part, kind of boring. (Unless, of course, you take an active
position to spice them up!) When confronted with this type of
meeting, members tend to lose interest quickly.
The TANK not only runs over you on the way to it's objectives, it
destroys everything around them. Imagine that you are a member of
a Jaycee chapter. You sit in the audience and watch this for on
at every meeting. The presiding officer, chairman or supervisor
can't seem to maintain control over his own meeting. You
gradually become tired of all the arguing and attitudes, and
decide not to come back again. Sound familiar?
Someone not accustomed to dealing with a TANK will frequently
freeze up, becoming unable to function effectively. but KEEP
BREATHING! Remember, you are running the show! What are you going
to do?
1. You should always maintain eye contact with the tank. Not
being able to
look them in the eye is a sign of weakness, of submission.
2. Allow them some time to run down, or at least get their point
across.
Once the point is across and they become redundant, or go off on
a
tangent:
- Use a hand signal to stop them. (NO, not that one!) Hold your
hand
up in a "stop" sign. You don't have to look like a
crossing guard,
though.
- At the same time, say their name in a firm manner. Don't
however, make it look like you're losing your cool.
- Then say what you need to say, using "I" language and
"we"
language. Keep away from the "You" statements because
that puts
your tank on the defensive, and he might try to relaunch his
attack.
- Align with the higher intent of why you are there. Over and
above all, there should be one common goal that everyone wants.
Relate it here.
- Pace them. Duplicate their tone and the speed at which they are
speaking. If they are speaking fast, start just a little slower
than
they are and bring them down to a calmer pace.
HERE'S HOW IT WOULD GO:
John: I've always done it that way. This new way isn't going to
work.
You're going to have to use the old way...
Mary: (Holds up Hand) John. I understand that there's a concern
over the
new plan, but our survey indicates that members don't want to
keep doing this project the same way. We all want this project to
succeed so we can raise much needed capital, but we're not
solving anything by arguing. Our goals are both the same, it's
our ideas and perspective that are different. If you'd like to
talk
meeting. I'll be available
Then continue with your meeting. Be prepared to deal with John
after the meeting, and to be friendly. Be confident, assured and
have your facts prepared! Good luck!
"The longer I live, the more I realize the
impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important
than facts: It is more important than the past, than education,
than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes,
than what other people think or say or do. It is more important
than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a
company, a church, a home...
The remarkable thing is, you have a choice every day regarding
the attitude you will embrace for that day. We cannot change our
past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a
certain way...we cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we
can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our
attitude....
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I
react to it. And so it is with you..."
THE
MEMBER WHO NEVER CAME BACK
It amuses me to think that your organization
spends so much time looking for new members when I was there all
the time. Do you remember me?
I'm the person who was asked to join. I paid my dues and them was
asked to be a loyal and faithful member.
I'm the person who came to every meeting, but nobody paid any
attention to me. I tried several times to be friendly, but
everyone seemed to have their own friends to talk to and be with.
I sat down among some unfamiliar faces several times, but they
didn't talk to me.
I had hoped someone would ask me to join one of the committees or
to somehow participate and contribute - but no one did.
Finally, because of illness, I missed a meeting. The next month
no one asked me where I had been. I guess it didn't matter very
much whether I was there or not. On the next meeting date I
decided to stay home and watch a good television program. When I
attended the next meeting no one asked where I was the month
before.
You might say that I'm a good person a family person, that I hold
a responsible job and love my community.
You know who else I am? I'm the member who never came back!
Think about it and take action to fix it! Officers of many
organizations complain that no one wants to run for office or
work on a committee. Maybe these members have never been asked or
were unavailable the last time they were asked and are hesitant
to step forward. It is easy for small groups to form that
unintentionally appear to discourage others from joining in. Do
you have a welcoming committee at your meetings? Is there someone
to greet the guest and new members (including those who haven't
been to a meeting in awhile), introduce them around, and see to
it the they are an active part of the meeting?
The majority of us lead quiet unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be on ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our encouragement, who will need our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took time to share what we had to give.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. It’s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.
-Leo Buscaglia
Sample Prospective Member Letter
Dear «FirstName»,
CONGRATULATIONS! You have been nominated for membership in the Princeton Jaycees. What is a Jaycee Chapter?
A Jaycee Chapter is:
A place where young people gather and where true friends can be found.
A place where young people can serve others and learn from that service.
A place where young people belong and a place where they become.
A place where leadership training is promised and where self improvement is delivered.
A place young people chose to join and a place we are proud to share.
This place is Princeton Jaycees. The person is you.
The time is now.
As a member of the Princeton Jaycees, you will have opportunities to participate in projects and programs that benefit both our community and yourself. You will learn about yourself and others while you work, and ultimately, you will grow as a person because of your experiences.
«FirstName», we will be calling you concerning the Princeton Jaycees. Please consider joining our organization. We encourage you to take advantage of this special opportunity to get involved. It can make a positive difference in your life and your community.
Sincerely,
Derek Barton, President
In an environment that fosters true friendship, Jaycees offer young people, age 21 to 39, the best opportunities for community service and self-improvement.
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