Y.F.C. Leadership Lectures

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 48, 21 May 1948, Page 6

Y.F.C. Leadership Lectures

Hints To Club Chairmen

(By lan B. Gow, Edgecumbe)

My remarks tonight are directed to those who are either already Club Chairmen or are potentially capable of filling such a leading position in their clubs. What I have to say will, I hope, be heeded by others also, to the extent that they will give to the selection of their leaders the care it deserves.

Let it be remembered that to this office must be brought not only qualities of leadership but also those of patience, forebearance and tact, in such measure as not everyone can provide. This office must be invested with dignity by him who undertakes it. His sense of duty must be such that he will pursue the course which his conscience dictates; neither distracted by the plaudits of his friends nor dismayed by the obstacles which enemies will place in his way. With it all he must preserve that perspective regarding his own importance which tells him he is not exalted by the chair except in so far as he himself worthily exalts the chair.

Let us consider for a moment why it is necessary to appoint a chairman. It should be obvious to anyone that, even in the pursuing of fixed policy, a leader will be necessary in any group of individuals. It is in this way only that their diverse individualities are merged into the corporate being of a committee or a term. It should be the prime consideration of every leader of such a group to see that, through his control, it functions smoothly and efficiently as a team. A chairman possesses this advantage over a self-appointed leader—he has been selected by those who will serve under him. It is axiomatic that he will succeed as a chairman only so long as he is able to command continued loyal support. Let him therefore, at • the outset, make it clear that he will expect such loyalty as long as he is required to act in the capacity of leader.

Most assuredly, diffidence is no qualification of a competent chairman. Confidence however, he must possess.

If ever there was need of that “girding of the loins” it will be when a new chairman takes his seat with serious work ahead of him. Not for him now will be that leaning back to allow the other fellow to perform the unpleasant task—not for him the indolent line of least resistance! These self-indugent weaknesses can be his no longer, if he will be a leader: but let him approach his problems with honesty of purpose, firmness, courage, diligence and his fellows will see that their choice has been well made. Without fear or favour such a chairman will gather the kernels of wisdom wherever he may find them Likewise, with equal impartiality, he will discard the husks. The quality of his winnowing will be the test of his chairmanship. Let us consider some of his duties more specifically:— The very first task which will confront him will be the gaining of the fullest possible knowledge—accurate knowledge—of the aims of his particular organisation. He must now, in a way not required of the ordinary, member, learn the details of the constitution under which he will guide his meetings. Matters of procedure, peculiar perhaps to his own organisation, must be known to him so that his rulings may be sound and proper. As a Y.F.C. Chairman, he will ask himself more searchingly than ever before, “What are our aims and objects?” Indeed! What are they? What is the happy combination of benefits we seek to gain under an organisation so wide in its range of activities? Is it not that we wish to ensure that those who work on the land may be enabled to live fuller lives —their horizons not circumscribed by their boundary fences? Is it not that there may be a keener interest in and appreciation of the work they do, with a more intelligent understanding of the why and wherefore? Is it not that by the free interchange of ideas, there may result a pooling of knowledge to the advantage of all? Do we not feel that this organisation exists to put real meaning into the phrase, “Not' a living, but a life” and, in the process, to raise that plane of life to such a level, culturally, socially and intellectually as will shed forever the “Yokel” tradition?

If these be indeed our aims, they will call for our highest endeavour. To no mean tasks are our chairmen called.

The chairman who sets out, with conscientious determination to implement these ideals will find that the first obstacle to progress will be the diversity of opinion as to how this can best be done. It is here that the importance of thorough planning with his members and executive is most evident. Even in apparent conflict a good chairman can secure some blend and harmony. He will be well advised however, to see to it that reasonable approval is given, before any plan is finally adopted. I should like to touch briefly up bn another possible source of trouble which should be anticipated and dealt with. Let no tinge of bitterness from party-political differences of opinion creep into your meetings.

Who knows but that within this organisation, which gives welcome to all our young men, there may be born in a new era of Government free from acrimony. A task of this kind would not approach completeness without some specific advice given as “do’s and don’t.” It will be natural that a young man unless he be extremely egotistical and self-confident will approach this task at first with some diffidence.

To him I would say, “In your approach to every problem and in all your dealings with your fellows in that capacity, do be firm, do be fair, and do be fearless.” In this way your foundations will be well and truly laid. Let us examine these fundamentals for a moment. Firmrfess is necessary because the moment you lose control of your meeting you are yourself lost. As a machine for the transacting of business, your meeting will have broken down. If you expect your firmness to be respected, even tolerated, then fairness must be a natural concomitant. With, respect to the last “do” which I urge upon young chairmen—all chairmen for that matter—l mean of course, that without moral courage to back his own judgment, he can be neither firm nor fair. If he should feel called upon to uphold his decisions by resorting to physical courage and physical strength, then his meeting has reached the last extremity of despair. There are, as would be expected, a great many other matters besides these fundamentals to which a good chairman must give his attention. It has been said, “He is a confident chairman who knows all the answers.” His background of knowledge must be good. He must use his utmost endeavours to secure punctuality in the starting of business. He must curb the fractious and the “thrusters” while encouraging the backward. He must insist on “speaking to the chair” explaining if need be, that this way lies safety against the explosive ruptive force of unpleasant crosstalk, together with speed in the better following of argument and counter argument. He must watch at all times his agenda against the passage of time. It is his task to secure' from the collective wisdom present the best results that can be secured in the shortest space of time. If he will do these things honestly, I feel that I can condense the don’ts almost into a sentence.

“Don’t allow yourself to feel that you enjoy a monopoly of human wisdom present, so that you dominate your meeting with this idea. Don’t imagine even that the meeting has been convened to hear you speak. Don’t forget that you must control yourself if you would control your meeting. Don’t make plans that are not related to practicability, and, having made plans, don’t allow them to remain merely plans.” Again I would say that what matters most is how you use the knowledge you do possess, not how great that knowledge may be.