When you accept a leadership role in a booster club, you may feel an obligation to be involved in all of the club’s events and activities. You may feel the need to be there and make sure things are done right, or to simply set a good example for others.
And, while you should set a good example for others to follow, you must balance your time and allow others to serve.
When my son crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, we visited several troops to find the right fit for him. On one of our troop visits, the Scoutmaster was away. There was no one in his absence who could fully answer our questions.
People would reply, “John takes care of this,” or “John takes care of that. John is the hardest working person I know. He sends us email around the clock. I just don’t know what we’d do without John.” Well, that’s the sad truth – they did not know what to do without John.
John had minimized his troop’s effectiveness by being in the middle of everything. Perhaps unintentionally, he had also taken away the opportunity for others to serve. When volunteers feel that they are not needed, they will fall away from the organization.
Here are four reasons you must give others the opportunity to serve.
1. To get others involved. When John inserted himself in so many tasks in his troop, he took away the opportunity for others to be involved. There are many people who will step up and fill a need, as long as they see that a need exists. If they do not see the need, they’re likely not to volunteer at all.
2. To promote harmony in the club. When you overexert your influence in the club, people will feel as if they have to do things your way. This is likely to be divisive and to introduce animosity in the club.
Every parent in the club is on a journey through the teenage years with their child. Many want to be involved and create lifelong memories they’ll both cherish. Don’t take away their opportunity to serve, to be creative, and to experience the pride of ownership that comes from serving.
3. To develop future leaders. Booster clubs are dynamic organizations, with people rotating in and out each year. Remember, you too will “graduate out” of the booster club someday, and its leadership will belong to a new team of volunteer leaders. If you really want to make a lasting impact, you’ll develop others to seamlessly take your place.
4. To prevent your own “burn out.” We often hear of people becoming out of balance with their work lives. This is also true in volunteering. If you feel that you must be involved in every activity of your booster club, you’ll quickly lose a healthy balance in life. You may lose interest in, or even resent, your leadership responsibilities. When leadership tasks aren’t met, it’s the students who stand to lose the most.
The Booster Leader
If you’ve just accepted a leadership role in your child’s booster club and you’re not exactly sure what you’ve gotten yourself into, help is here! My book, The Booster Leader, 35 Leadership Essentials for a Thriving Booster Organization, is the resource you need to guide you along the way. The Booster Leader consists of…
- Thirty-five proven leadership essentials that are quick and easy to implement
- Eighteen inspirational stories that bring the leadership essentials to life
- A twenty-nine point checklist to help you identify risks that may jeopardize your organization if not properly addressed (and the answers to help you resolve every issue!)
Now is the time to start leading your own thriving booster organization. In The Booster Leader, I show you exactly how to do it!
Question: How do you encourage others to get involved in your booster club? You can leave a comment by clicking here.