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Once in a while, experiencing the leadership qualities of
another organization makes me realize that what we do in the Jaycees is not
only necessary, but critically needed in today’s world.
Let me explain through an experience I had recently.
I had the honor of attending a local civic organization’s
annual meeting here in Honolulu. To give you a picture of this organization: they
do a lot of community outreach, and have a dedicated core of members – from
young to retired. Their statewide leadership is made up of a small group of
individuals who are in their late 20s or early 30’s that was recently put in
charge to both turn the organization around and, more important, promote local
culture values in the community.
At a weekend meeting, the organization held their annual
elections for officers. One of the offices was being contested by members who
were both seasoned and well respected. Support from both was widespread and the
campaign was intense. Supporters for both wore buttons promoting one or the
other and campaign volunteers for both sides buzzed around looking for more
support as the conference went on through the morning.
In the afternoon the elections were held. Each candidate was
given 12 minutes to speak to the delegates. The first candidate, after being
introduced by a seasoned member, went on stage to speak. He was surrounded by
at least 20 to 30 supporters. All they did was listen as the candidate gave his
campaign speech. Upon completion, the supporters enthusiastically applauded and
got the crowd to “whoop it up”. A positive attitude pervaded the room, even for
those who would not vote for that candidate.
The second candidate had a series of speakers go to a remote
microphone and speak. Again, selected members with pull in the organization
were chosen to speak. Each spoke about the merits of the candidate. The third
speaker, a younger woman who had been tapped to be part of the leadership, went
to the microphone to talk about the candidate. Her speech, initially, was
positive in nature.
But then, as if another person took over, she started
talking down to the other candidate. In one sentence, she went from positive to
negative, verbally accusing the other candidate of defaming the character of
the organizations chairman (an appointed position). She then started to cry as
she continued the accusations, finally uttering that she was upset that the
candidate was saying hurtful things about her boyfriend, who was the Chairman
no less.
She then sat down, and the silence in the room was
palatable.
It took me a couple of seconds for the message to sink
in….that, in very short order, a perceived young leader of this organization
basically broke down because someone else “dissed” her boyfriend who happened
to be the head honcho.
It was then I shook my head and quietly asked my neighbor
“what the hell was that?” He didn’t have an answer for me.
After the results were announced, in which the one candidate
with all the people surrounding him lost to the candidate whose supporter cried
on stage, I started to think long and hard about what the current state of
community leaders are these days. What I realized is that the quality of
leadership development these days is much to be desired.
It then dawned on me that the leadership development that we
provide in the Jaycees is now needed more desperately than ever. Our role in
the community – in creating leaders today for them to be our community leaders
of tomorrow – is something not being taught by anyone else besides us. By
demonstrating, literally that there is no escalator to the top, that instead
you have to take the stairs, the patience to become a proper leader is
something that we need to get out and promote to every young person looking to
get a leg up in society.
That is why the mission of our organization, from that of
the new member all the way up to our national president, needs to be focused on
developing our members in close concert with the lesson plans we have created
over the past 92 years – The Book, mastering the Chairman’s Planning Guide,
encouraging higher participation in our promising young people to take
leadership roles and allowing for them to be properly mentored and developed by
our more seasoned members and members of the Senate.
I know that the mission of the Texas Jaycees is just that,
and it shows in both the recruitment of new members and the quality of those
members to become effective leaders in the organization. Your example continues
to prove that the system created by Hy Gissenbier, our founder, is still
relevant in this day. Because the message, unfortunately, is now needed more
than ever, especially to our up and coming community leaders that we are asked
to support.
I am proud to be assigned the Texas Jaycees as your National
Vice President, and even more so, proud to be a Jaycee By Choice (JBC)! Aloha!
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