Leadership Team -Women's Group

I've finally managed to back out of my women's group. I have had a couple small tasks to do this week. Next Monday I'm meeting with the group's leader Jos to discuss her plans for an eNewsletter. 

She still wants to run before she's learned how to walk. We attempted to feature women in the group each Monday -their business and who they are. When I say "we" I mean me since I was the "Marketing Director" I was put in charge of emailing people the application for them to fill out (one person each week) then taking that information once it was filled and putting it in a nice, social-media friendly flyer image. 

Most people either didn't fill out the application after it was sent or filled it out weeks later after their turn to be featured had passed. 

NOW Jos wants us to feature the mentors AND mentees in the mentoring program (2 mentors and 2 mentees a week) both on Facebook/social media AND in an eNewsletter (that she has never made before that will also include events and an "article").

I have NO regrets about leaving the group and stepping down from my leadership position. As my last act in the group though, at the end of this month, I'll be co-leading the Leadership Team meeting and essentially giving a speech/tips on how to successfully function as a leadership team and what the Marketing Team is set to accomplish this year.

Here is the basic speech outline (which I'm going to make print-outs of and give to each person at the meeting): 

Best Leadership Team Practices: 

Qualities of a Bad Team = War of Directors – Team v. Team 

§  Collaboration instead of Competition

§  Acknowledge Individual + Team Accomplishments 

Qualities of a Good Team:

§  Successful, Organized Professionalism

§  Supportive “Family” Energy

§  Respectful Listening with Group Input and Discussion 

§  Mistakes get Repeated when they’re not Recorded

o   Track Notes from the Meetings

o   Create Agenda around Checking-In and Addressing Set Goals

o   Don’t be a Task Master

§  Satellite Leadership: Smaller Part leads to Bigger Picture

o   Know what each person’s role is –and share yours as well

o   Lead Your Role

o   Know the Bigger Vision

o   Future Positions –Leadership Track

§  Commitment to Position and Each Other

Marketing Team:

·         Vision

·         Why Women Entrepreneurs Need Mentoring

·         How We Contribute

·         Focus on “Customer” –Mentor/ Mentee Community and Future Members

·         Group Marketing

 

I realized at a certain point during the previous "Leadership Team" meetings that it was vastly different from other team meetings I'd had -including my full-time job and Toastmasters. It seemed like the leader of the group (Jos) spent most of the time talking and then there were 1 or 2 "fun" exercises for the group to do that were leadership related. But ultimately it was always like a first meeting. It never has felt like an ACTUAL meeting. 

People don't check in with their own plans and progress towards goals.
They don't raise upcoming issues for the group to discuss. 

It feels like we're little kids sitting at the dinner table while mom tells us about her day at work and encourages us to eat our veggies. 

Maybe it's because the other groups/teams I've been on have included men. Men are kind of impatient and very "let's get things done" oriented. On the down side there isn't much personal connection to those around you that gets made. On the plus side-you get things done. And you do work as a team to do it. 

I want the "Yang" motivation to action to be present and the clarity towards achieving goals and objectives.