Leadership Development Committee Annual Report FY11

The LDC Charter from May 2010 describes the following:

Specific Duties:

1. Design and implement an Annual Development Plan that specifies leadership development needs and recommended solutions. This plan should explicitly identify priorities and link them to FUSN’s Purpose, current BOT initiatives, and any long range plans. This plan might include such things as:

a. An overview of FUSN governance model, roles and responsibilities, and policy documents.

b. Budget process

c. Spirituality in committee work

d. How to run an effective meeting in a UUA congregation

e. Group dynamics

f. Working effectively with volunteers

g. Transitioning the sitting committee chair out and new chair in

2. Design, for BOT approval, a process to identify, recruit, and prepare promising lay leaders; and manage this plan’s implementation. Liaise with Operations Council and BOT to identify FUSN’s needs.

3. Ongoing lay leadership support

a. Ad hoc training, consultation, and coaching as requested

4. Work with other committees as appropriate.

5. Maintain a Leadership Development Library of materials (e.g. books, DVDs and CDs, General Assembly and District Training materials), which may be used by FUSN members for self-development.

PROGRESS AGAINST CHARTER DUTIES

The LDC currently consists of two people: Jeff Baker (Chair) and Barbara Bates (CoChair). Both of us have had limited time to address the duties outlined in the charter. We are also concerned about the timing of some of the LDC duties (especially those relating to taking over the duties of the Nominating Committee & Committee on Committees) given the length of time it is taking for the Board and Ops Council to complete the governance transition process.

VISION

During the fall of 2010 the LDC met with Erin Splaine and determined that their visions regarding lay leadership development were well aligned. Erin had plans to introduce the book Serving with Grace by Rev. E. Wickstrom to the Board as a tool to promote discussion of lay leadership in a UU setting, and the LDC sees the book as a great tool to support all lay leaders.

BOARD POLL & MEETING WITH BOARD

On January 11, 2011, Jeff and Barbara met with the Board of Trustees to discuss the LDC’s status. Jeff presented the results of a poll he had conducted of the Board members regarding how they saw their role and how much time they were wiling to spend developing their own leadership skills. The poll showed that the 7 responding trustees on average were wiling to spend 2 -3 hours per month in skills building (although many qualified their commitment by saying it would depend on the training.) The poll also revealed that 3 of the 7 felt their level of skills and knowledge left them relatively unprepared for their Board duties while 4 felt they were prepared but lacked mastery to teach others what they did. Most of the trustee duties identified in the poll aligned with two of the three accepted leadership activities: Setting Direction & Gaining Alignment, and Executing on plans. Only a few trustee duties mentioned by trustees related to the third leadership activity: Building People Capability and Commitment. It seems as though this duty may need further discussion/development especially as it relates to a volunteer environment where some lay leaders feel unprepared for their duties.

The January 2011 status discussion focused on the LDC’s charter (see above section from charter). Jeff explained that the LDC’s first priorities were duties 1 & 2 (Designing and implementing an Annual Development Plan, and designing a process for identifying, recruiting and preparing promising lay leaders. Jeff elaborated on this by making it clear that the LDC did not do this process alone – that the existing lay leaders (Trustees, Ops Council Members, Committee Chairs, etc.) and staff – as the congregation’s leadership with the best knowledge & exposure to promising lay leaders – would bear the major responsibility for identifying and mentoring candidates for open positions.

The LDC told the trustees that it will not, during this governance transition time, be able to take over the duties of a Nominating Committee or a Committee on Committees. The LDC, however, does plan to maintain a database / list of promising candidates that others identify.

SUPPORT FOR CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION PROJECT

The LDC used part of its budget to fund food (snacks, coffee and lunch) for the Conflict Transformation Project’s two presentations to the congregation: the “Difficult Conversations Training”, and the report of findings made by the two Harvard Negotiation & Mediation Clinical Project students.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeff Baker and Barbara Bates

May 27, 2011