How to lead at national level

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How to lead at national level

• or Being a National Commissioner

• João Armando G. (ESC) - jarmando_at_scout.org
• 6th Forum on Youth Programme and Adult Resources
• Obidos, Portugal, 18 - 22 March 2009

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By the end of the session each participant should
be able to

• Revisit the main tasks of a national commissioner
  in general
• Identify the profile and skills that a national
  commissioner should develop
• Understand key relations and procedures to ensure
  participation
• Collect tips about working at national level

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National Commissioner perceived as...

• someone working at national level, in charge of
  an operational area (Adults, Programme,
  Sections...)

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Being national as...
or
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or
Local
Regional
Local
Local
Local
Local
Regional
National
Local
Local
Local
Local
Regional
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The tradicional approach in Youth Programme
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The network approach
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The structure (1)

• It is up to each NSA to define the most
  appropriate structure for adult resources
  management, taking into account its particular
  situation, needs and available resources.
• It should have a formal link to those responsible
  for the development and delivery of Youth
  Programme.
• The National AR Committee should also be linked
  to a network covering the whole of the
  associations territory and composed of those
  involved in the adult resources management
  process.
• (1) Adult Resources Policy

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Duties of a Commissioner (1)

• Develop a National (Programme) Policy consistent
  with World (Programme) Policy
• Planning and coordinating at national level all
  aspects of (Youth Programme) in the NSA
• Creating an awareness among leaders at all levels
  of the association of what that (YP) is and of
  its importance
• (Regularly evaluating and further developing the
  YP to meet the changing needs of young people in
  their society)
• (1) Youth Programme Policy

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• Producing handbooks for (youth members and) adult
  leaders in all age sections
• Ensuring that the programme is delivered at a
  satisfactory quality level in each local unit of
  the association
• (Integrating specialized dimensions such as
  environmental education, community involvement,
  Scouting with handicapped, into the YP)
• Leadership of the National (Programme) Committee
  and responsibility for the training and
  development of its members
• Strenghening the unity in Scouting through (YP)
  by close cooperation with other National (YP)
  commissioners and World Scout Bureau

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Qualifications of a Commissioner(1)

• Knowledge of how children and adolescents (
  adults) learn and of the needs and aspirations of
  young people ( adults).
• Creativity skills.
• Skills necessary to motivate, coordinate and
  manage others.
• Ability to work in harmony with others and to
  influence decisions.
• Strong Scouting background, with experience
  and/or training in the field of (Youth Programme)
  development.
• (1) Youth Programme Policy

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Butwhat are
the skills
the profile
of a commissioner?
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Personal abilities

• Empathy perspective taking
• Assertiveness
• Active listening
• Creativity
• Leadership
• Values clarification
• Autonomy
• Interpersonal trust
• Managing time
• Decision-making skills
• ...

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Functional competences

• Project management
• Managing teams
• Managing people and relations
• Planning budgeting
• Organising and running meetings events
• Communication skills (how to adress in public)
• Evaluation, control reporting methods
• Networking
• Change management basics
• (Scouting knowledge)
• ...

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Tips and hints

• 1. Gather your team and organise it
• 2. Plan your work
• 3. Keep communications channels open
• 4. Organise the right events for the right people
• 5. Involve other people in the implementation
• 6. Review and adjust

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1. Gather your team

• Different backgrounds (complementarity
  diversity)
• Inform about what you expect
• Care about their qualification (what can they
  take out of the experience?) and provide tools
• Delegate
• Keep the spirit high
• Use diferent working methods (meetings, msn,
  reports, community)
• Choose the best internal organisation

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• Hierarquical?

• or as a council?

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2. Plan your work

• Take upper plans into consideration
• Plan long, medium and short term
• Set clear objectives
• Set some milestones and review moments
• Inform other people about your plans

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3. Communication channels

• Key relations
• Colleagues on the National Team/Board
• Members of own team
• Projects managers task forces leaders
• Regional/District Commissioners leaders in
  general
• Peers from other associations and other
  international bodies (Office)
• External organisations, institutions, media...

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• Choose your public use adequate means
• Meetings
• Website
• Newsletter
• Personalised contact system
• Mainling lists
• Phone
• ...

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4. Events

• Choose the right ones type of and frequency
• Meet peoples needs yours too
• Make them worthwhile, relevant and useful
  (creativity is needed!)
• Reference activities are a good way of pass a
  concept (learning by doing)
• Seek for excelence (mind the details)

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5. Involve other people

• Assign tasks projects
• Provide them with qualification opportunities
  (probably you know more people things put them
  at their service)
• Make your plans their plans
• Head-hunt

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Andbecause a commissioner can be a change maker
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Potential success factors in managing change

• Abundant and purposeful participation
• Management support
• Effective communication
• Control and feedback on progress
• Supporting environment
• Vision and clear goals
• Purposeful planning
• Clear need for change
• Training
• Identifying key persons
• Motivating people
• Paying attention to culture
• Risk management and dealing with resistance to
  change
• Co-operation
• Projects connection to company strategy
• Leadership

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• But remember
• Being national is to serve at national level

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• Thank you for you attention