Planning to be club president

Your points are excellent.  Item 4 is one that I think is very important, but not appreciated by many presidents.  When there is a disconnect between the leadership and the general membership, the club turns into a social club growing smaller as older members die.

I am looking for a club that has "standing rules", not the bylaws. I have those.. It is possible that Kiwanis does not use standing rules, but every other organization that I have belonged to does.. anyone have any they would share with me?

#8  HAVE FUN,  our club fines it's members, usually $1 for any funny incident or bragging in public, sometimes we even add a little embellishment to the stories just to watch the member's defense.  It's all in good fun and we make a little for the Adm. budget.

Kiwanis clubs everywhere are preparing for a new administrative year (2009-10) beginning October 1st.   Presidents are busy appointing committees, creating budgets and scheduling a calendar of events.  Distinguished clubs must have club growth, increased service to the community, be active with sponsored youth programs, and advertizing Kiwanis to everyone in the community.  This requires much enthusiasm and it will quickly die unless there is a plan of execution.

A successful club president should consider;

1. KISS (keep it simple stupid) – complicated plans are harder to execute and complete.

2. Stay focused – on one or two major improvements for your club this year.

3. All members – make a club, not just a president, secretary or the board.

4. Promote ownership by the membership – developing pride in the club.

5. Remain flexible – modify or update your goals to get things done.

6. Do not be overly-ambitious – recognize your club’s limitations.

7. Celebrate, have fun – recognize members, recognize members, and recognize members!

8. Listen – to everyone in your club and community.

9. Demonstrate a Kiwanis Heart – reach out with a positive spirit to everyone.

10. Sell Kiwanis – be informed and knowledgeable, use www.kiwanisone.org

I like what Leighton McKnight said,

"Don't fire the volunteers"

Always try to see the glass half full.

Delegate -  Give everyone something to do. Make all the members feel important and help each other work together for the good of Kiwanis

I agree with the above list. Keep everyone involved and keep it fun. Looking forward to a good year.

I AM IN DEEP THOUGHT THIS A.M. I AM PRES. ELECT FOR ANNISTON, AL. CLUB. I HAVE ADMINISTERED THE BUILDERS, KEY, AND NOW CIRCLE K CLUBS FOR PAST5 YRS.  BEEN ASKED BY MY ALABAMA LT. GOV. TO TAKE OVER A LAPSED CIRCLE K IN JACKSONVILLE,AL. IT SEEMS TO ME,THAT THE MONY REQUIRED IS VERY HIRH AND NOT WARRENTED. THIS REALLY GOES FOR ALL OUR SUB CLUBS. AFTERALL, TELL ME WHAT YOU CAN TELL A STUDENT[NEVER SEEN A RICH ONE] WHAT HE GETS FOR HIS $25.? YES HE WILL GAIN LOTS FROM OUR LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE , BUT WHAT DOES KW. INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTE? I BELIEVE THE BOARD SHOULD IMMEDIATELY REDUCE ALL THE FEES FROM AL SUB CLUBS. IT INCREASE MEMBERSHIP TEN FOLD. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT FUTURE KW. MEMBERS, IS IT NOT?

I've been a club president twice and throughly enjoyed it both times.  I became pretty good at executing an agenda, which I wrote over the week prior to the meeting and refined it a little bit each time I visited it.

I've always lived by these words in a leadership situation:

'A leader is only as good as the people around him and the people around him are only as good as the leader.'  (Not sure if I read that, or made it up.)

To make leadership work, new presidents (and boards) need to find and cherish the "us" in Success.