Good team propels club upward

The key to being an effective club leader is acknowledging you can’t do things alone. That’s sage advice from Stan Small, 2003-04 president of the Kiwanis Club of Moncton, New Brunswick.

“My biggest challenge as president was to assemble a team of responsible people who wanted to take the club to greater heights,” Stan says. “I handpicked my committee heads and armed them with as much information as I could, with respect to their roles, so they knew what was expected of them and could achieve their committee goals.”

Not everyone rose to the challenge, Stan laments, but the club still had a successful year, garnering distinguished club status and earning Stan distinguished president and the club’s secretary, Leigh R. Prescott, distinguished secretary honors. The club also received an education award.

The biggest challenge facing the club? Keeping membership involved.

“Through this, club members take ownership of projects,” Stan notes. “There is nothing better than the satisfaction one gets from assisting in the community’s welfare, whether it is one child or a thousand. Club morale continues to run high and the members feel good about their participation in the club.”

Stan encourages incoming club presidents to “CaD”: Communicate and Delegate.

“Communicate to your membership often and regularly,” he explains. “Let them know what is going on and what your expectations are. Delegate to individuals who want to take ownership. Work with them. Let them know how important their work is.”

For an up-close-and-personal look at workings of the Moncton Kiwanis club, click here.