Active Leader Definition
From: LEAVEN,
Vol. 37 No. 3, August-September 2001, p. 74.
Lynne Coates, Nan Jolly, Carmen Vandenabeele
LLLI Board of Directors
At the annual session in
March, 2001, the Board of Directors revised the definition of an active
Leader in the glossary of the Policies and Standing Rules (PSR).
What's Different?
- The revised definition
begins with an emphasis on what a Leader does-she pursues the mission
of La Leche League; the previous definition started with fee payment
or waiver.
- The PSR is now the reference
for the list of basic responsibilities; the previous definition referred
to the LEADER'S HANDBOOK.
- The revised definition
allows for future flexibility in LLL structure. The previous definition
limited the activity of Leaders in their service to LLL by specifying
only Area, Affiliate, Division or International levels.
- The new definition recognizes
the Leader's responsibility for decision-making about how she will pursue
the LLL mission. The previous definition required Leaders to seek authorization
in order to do anything other than the basic responsibilities.
What led us to make these changes?
For the last several years, members of the LLLI Board have been looking
at our policies about the roles of Leaders, and asking others about
their activities as Leaders. In 1999, organization-wide conversations
began about the role of Leaders, and Leaders everywhere talked about
what they were doing as Leaders. (See article on 'Conversations on the
Roles of Leaders' LEAVEN Dec-Jan 2001, page 115). In addition, the Program
Services and Global Structures Committee encouraged Leaders to tell the stories of
their LLL activities. This storytelling idea is now a feature in LEAVEN,
"Our Stories: Leader to Leader."
As these conversations
and stories were shared in ever-widening circles within La Leche League,
the point was brought home again and again that Leaders actively pursue
the LLL mission in a wide variety of situations. Some Leaders live
in places where they are the only source of breastfeeding information
and support in a huge geographic area. Others live where there are
many Leaders and Groups. Some live in breastfeeding-friendly cultures
and others live in cultures that are unsupportive of breastfeeding.
Leaders respond to the needs in their communities and are creative
in making and taking advantage of opportunities to meet these needs.
The Board wants the definition of an active Leader to acknowledge
this and respect how Leaders pursue the LLL mission; we want to encourage
initiative rather than restrict activities.
These changes reflect developments
within La Leche League in the ten years since the earlier definition
was adopted in 1991--and provide an open framework for the future.
Of course, LLL Groups are central to the nature of LLLI, and most
Leaders will continue to lead meetings and manage Groups. These Leaders
will continue to receive assistance, support, and encouragement from
the LLL support network. As an organization, LLL wants this essential
form of Leader activity to be enjoyable and rewarding!
When the motion for the
new definition of an active Leader was passed, we recognized that
it is a step in the direction of increasing decision-making at the
local level. There is room for discussion and growth in understanding
while we're moving ahead. The policy is still evolving, and we are
all learning together. Now we are asking Leaders throughout the organization
to help.
The Board of Directors'
Program services committee has formed a work group which has been
commissioned to facilitate a discussion of policies about Leader Roles
in the context of the new definition of an active Leader. We hope
as many Leaders as possible will be part of the group's email discussion,
and that all Leaders will give their opinions by whatever means they
can-email, snail mail, fax, telephone, and carrier pigeons are all
acceptable! Addresses of the chairs of the work group are below.The
work group will consider questions such as these:
- How will Leaders communicate
with the organization-will they find their own ways? Will we have set
procedures to follow? Both?
- What education is necessary
for a Leader's work in pursuing the LLL mission? How will Leaders keep
up-to-date with this education?
- Is the payment of fees
the best way to keep a central database of Leaders? Should we consider
another method of registering Leaders so that payment of fees does not
become part of what defines a Leader?
We also intend to look
at the possible effects this action might have, for example, on attracting
women to leadership, building membership in the organization, and
strengthening Groups in many different settings.
Working with this new definition
will be a learning experience. We may be surprised by some of the
results, and we may decide to revise the definition yet again. We
believe, however, that we risk less by relying on Leaders' creativity
and sound judgment than by trying to restrict them. When Leaders keep
LLL purpose, principles, and philosophy at the heart of their pursuit
of the LLL mission, La Leche League will become ever more effective
in helping mothers learn to breastfeed their babies.
Definition
of Active Leader
An active LLL Leader pursues
the La Leche League mission through basic Leader responsibilities
as defined in the Policies and Standing Rules Notebook and/or other
service to LLL. An active Leader's fees are current, she keeps up-to-date
with Leader education, and she communicates regularly with the organization
(March 2001).
Previous Definition
An active La Leche League
Leader is one whose current Leader fee is paid (or waived) and who
is available to fulfill the basic responsibilities of leadership as
defined in the LEADER'S HANDB00K, or who has replaced one or more
of the basic responsibilities (excluding Leader education) with service
to La Leche League at the Area, Affiliate, Division, or International
level. An active Leader may request a change in her responsibilities
to take on special projects or to help mothers by telephone only.
Each special request will be evaluated individually by the ACL (Area
Coordinator of Leaders) or her designate (October 1991).
To join the work group,
or to send your comments and questions, please write to:
Nan Jolly
64 Louis Botha Crescent
Summerstrand
Port Elizabeth 6001
SOUTH AFRICA
FAX: 27.41.583.1577 (call first)
Brianj at iafrica.com (email)
Carmen Vandenabeele
8, chemin de Launay
78990 Elancourt
FRANCE
FAX: 33.1.30.62.03.60
CarmenVanden at aol.com (email)
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:31:11 UTC 2007.
