Organizing
Committees L-6
Building
a temple requires more than good intentions.
A great way of
involving others in an organization is through committees. This
module will look at some reasons for committees and how to form
useful committees.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the time you finish
this module you should be able to:
1. List five reasons
for using committees in your organization.
2. Describe how to form committees.
ADVANTAGES OF STRONG
COMMITTEES
There are many good
reasons for appointing a committee:
It is a way to help
new members get acquainted.
It is a way to insure democracy.
It can spread the work among more members.
More ideas can be generated when more people are involved.
Members feel better about their organization when they are involved
as opposed to when the officers decide everything.
People are more willing to work on projects when they have been
involved in the planning.
DON'T USE THIS APPROACH
One common approach
to forming a committee is the "call for volunteers"
through mass media or by making an announcement at a public meeting.
That may work in some cases where the job at hand requires only
enthusiasm (i.e., clean-up after the meeting). One problem with
this approach, however, is that the same people tend to volunteer
time after time. Some of these compulsive volunteers are also
famous for forgetting their commitments.
HOW TO FORM A COMMITTEE
For important (most)
committees, use the following approach:
1. Write down the job
that the committee is to do, including a deadline for when it
should be done.
2. Make a list of the
skills, knowledge, experience, viewpoints, special interests,
resources, that need to be represented on the committee.
3. Choose individuals
who have the skills, knowledge, etc., listed in 2 above. Also
consider:
* Individuals personally
interested in the issue or concern under consideration.
* Individuals who will communicate with others in the organization
and who will continue to do so during the time they serve on
the committee.
* Individuals with a positive attitude and enthusiasm.
* Individuals able to work with others.
* Someone dependable to call and conduct meetings.
* Someone who hasn't been very active recently, but might enjoy
working on this committee.
* Look for diversity and complementarity (don't appoint 5 clones;
but avoid forming a committee that cannot work together).
4. Contact each of
the individuals chosen; tell them why they were chosen (use information
from steps 2 and 3). Ask them if they will serve (give them some
time to think about it if they are hesitant).
5. Once the committee
is formed, see that all members know
* What is the committee's
job (in writing),
* Who is chairing the committee, and
* The time, date, and place of the first meeting.
6. Check back with
the Chair to see that the committee is making progress and is
ready to report when appropriate.
Due to their small
size, usually three to seven members, committees are easier to
convene and are more flexible in their ability to gather information,
consult with outside experts, and perform the tasks assigned them.
The committee's charge,
what it is expected to do and when it is to be finished, along
with the committee's powers and operating budget, should be clearly
spelled out, preferably in writing. Be specific. Vague, hastily
conceived, indefinite task assignments are the prime cause of
committee failure.
EXERCISE: INVOLVEMENT
THROUGH COMMITTEES
Choose an activity
which your organization will need to plan and implement in the
coming year. It should be an activity which could be delegated
to a committee for further study, planning or accomplishment.
Complete steps 1, 2, and 3 (above). Share your idea with an officer
of the organization or with the executive committee (all of the
officers). At the next regular meeting of your organization, if
appropriate, complete steps 4 and 5. After that meeting, do step
6.
EXERCISE:
Some organizations
regularly ask new members which committees they would like to
join. This practice provides an excellent orientation to new members
concerning the organization. It is a way to recruit potential
committee members at a time when their interest is at its highest.
Design a page or half
page form which lists all of the committees (or potential committees)
for your organization and briefly tells the duties of that committee.
If special qualifications or limitations exist for a particular
committee (i.e., the executive committee consists only of the
elected officers) write those down so new members will not be
misled.
CONCLUSIONS
When you recruit members
to committees be certain that someone, preferably the chair of
that committee, contacts the new member immediately. Nothing is
more deflating to a person who agrees to serve on a committee
then never hears from anyone again. Long delays in contacting
members, or in holding the first meeting, result in loss of motivation
and even anger.
One organization which
maintained a very ambitious calendar of activities but had very
little "burnout" operated under the following guideline
for its membership: "Every member should have one job; no
members should have more jobs than they really want." |
