Leadership Development
Personal Development is Leadership Development
"Leadership is a series of behaviors, rather than a role for heroes." - Margaret Wheatley
We believe that every member of UUCE has something vitally important to offer the congregation.
UU congregations are governed by our members, and we choose our leaders from among our members. The support and training offered on this page aim to help people gain confidence and to feel more comfortable moving into roles that are new to them.
The flow of people through leadership roles keeps the congregation vital. Leadership roles change over time, as do the people who hold them. We encourage you to try something new: to move from a long-held role to a time of rest, or to re-engage in church life after a time of rest.
Elected Leadership
Every year new people are needed to serve in elected positions. We want everyone in our congregation to feel that they could serve in these roles. By providing the resources at the bottom of this page and other trainings, we strive to remove barriers that prevent people from coming forward to serve.
The 5-member Leadership Development Committee (LDC) leads the search for new members for the Board of Trustees and the Leadership Development Committee. It offers trainings to help develop key skills and attributes needed for leadership. LDC members serve two-year terms for a maximum of four years.
Meet your current LDC and learn what it’s been doing this year.
The 7-member Board of Trustees (the Board) creates policies and authorizes programs to meet the congregation’s needs and accomplish its mission. Board members are elected for two-year terms for a maximum of six years. During their terms, some Board members also serve as the congregation’s officers: president, vice-president, secretary or treasurer.
Meet your current Board and learn what it’s been doing this year.
Leadership of Program or Affinity Groups
Currently active groups in the congregation were initiated by members who wanted to share a mutual interest or achieve a goal with others in the congregation. Here are two resources for joining with others or turning your ideas into viable programs:
The Involvement Guide, is a great way to connect with one of our many existing programs and projects, and to learn how things get done.
For a copy of your own, send a request to involvementguide@uueugene.org.The UUCE Group Charter: Every group that wants to identify itself as a UUCE group with access to church resources is required to complete a charter. These charters are presented to the Board of Trustees for approval. Any questions prior to submission may be directed to the church office.
Leadership Strategies
Here are some strategies that can help our congregation to stay fresh and vibrant by supporting people who have come forward to serve as leaders and insuring there is a flow of new ideas and energy.
A Sustainable Leadership strategy, or Succession Planning, offers an arc of experienced support and an exit ramp. Someone taking on a major leadership role passes through three phases: 1) a year to observe the role; 2) a year or more in the role; and 3) a year as a mentor for a successor.
A current example at UUCE is the Treasurer position on the UUCE Board.
A Shared Leadership or Circle Leadership strategy identifies tasks to be accomplished and divides up and rotates the work among members. Tasks such as setting an agenda, leading a meeting, taking notes, observing process, providing opening and closing words, taking up specific time-limited tasks, and sending out notices and minutes can all be shared.
A current example at UUCE is the Leadership Development Committee.
Resources
Here are links to resources we have found helpful. Please let us know what has been helpful to you by sending a message to ldc@uueugene.org.
Adult Faith Formation classes– new schedules are created quarterly, beginning roughly in June, September, January and April. Skill-Up classes in using technologies and software commonly used to do the business of church have been offered in the past and can be offered again if you ask for them!
Investigate learning modules in the Leader Lab on the UUA website about elements of working with groups. Also in the Leader Lab is The Congregational Handbook, a guide to congregational health and vitality. Many of its resources focus on process rather than on a checklist to achieve particular outcomes. While you’re there, many other trainings are available – feel free to browse through the website at uua.org/leaderlab
Leadership Path: Brought to us by the same people who created the Faith Forward program. We are one of six congregations who are piloting the Leadership Path. Participation in this year-long program is by invitation. Contact the LDC if you would like to be considered. ldc@uueugene.org