SVVEA News
The Role of an SVVEA Leader
A successful SVVEA leader knows how to connect with members and potential members, create and sustain personal relationships, and build community in SVVEA. To do this well, we need to be able to:
- Work with people: talk to them, listen to them, work with them in groups and as individuals
- Listen (it is more important than talking), and ask questions
- Build trust, and be trustworthy
- Be open to new idea, be flexible
- Have a vision—a dream of a better world through members working together
- Have a sense of humor
- Be able to define an issue by working with members to help them identify their own needs
- Be able to conduct a group discussion and a short meeting
How do you get these skills if you don’t have them?
My answer— YOU DO HAVE THEM! Look at the skills above. Most of what is up there is what you do in your classroom everyday. It is just with kids instead of adults. But they are still leadership skills.
If you still need help then we have trainings, conferences, and workshops. You can always call another experienced SVVEA leader and share ideas and swap success stories. OR…you can call the office and talk it over with the President or Executive Director.