PIHRA Leadership & Strategic Planning

Conference, December, 2014Presented By: Dorothy Cociu, V.P. Leadership(714) 693-9754 x 3vpleadership@pihra.org, or dmcociu@advancedbenefitconsulting.com

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PIHRA Short and Long-Term Goals (Marilyn Monahan 3 Year Strategic Plan)

• Building the Member Experience• Recognition: Volunteers & Members• Succession Planning: Development of Future

Leaders• Growing Membership• Legislative Advocacy

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Leadership: The Key to An Association• No district chapter and no association in general can grow or

be successful without successful leaders• This breakout is designed to help you focus on developing

your leadership style and creating or continuing a successful district experience

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Role and Responsibilities of District Chair and Vice Chairs• LEAD

• …by example

• ORGANIZE• …your district board

• MOTIVATE• …your volunteers

• INSPIRE• …your membership

• BE ACCOUNTABLE• …to the PIHRA Board

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• There is no one answer… Consider the following:• Motivation• Analytical skills• Thinking outside the box• Desire to get things done/results oriented type• Some job titles/types of people are more likely to be competitive by

nature – love to be recognized – use that!• Training and mentoring can make a number of people good leaders!

What Makes a Good Leader

• Recruitment Methods• Succession Planning builds for tomorrow as you work on today!• Attract board members who are people magnets! The rest will usually follow!• Make the process competitive and fun!

• Motivation of volunteers• Build a vision and a roadmap for the journey• Planning=Accountability for execution• More ownership and passion

• Follow your leadership• Model the behavior of good leaders before you• Delegate responsibilities• Drive accountability• Mentoring

• Rewards• Challenge with rewards and public recognition• Responsibility and ownership• Development of leadership skills• Collaboration with others• Inexpensive awards, certificates, public recognition work wonders• Sponsors love to sponsor awards if there is a crowd!

Motivating Volunteers

• Tell the story• Share information at district meetings• Recognize current volunteers• Build excitement and a desire for others to volunteer!

The Best Way to Get Great Leaders – Share Leadership Development with The Districts!

Common Challenges of Leadership/District Governance• Common challenges include:

• Membership growth/retention• Getting volunteers• Succession Planning

• What are your Specific Challenges??

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Best Practices for Leadership/District Governance• Some Ideas Developed by a Committee of District Chairs and

PIHRA executive board members in 2014…

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Best Practices Discussion• Membership• VIP Program• PIHRA Home Office Campaign• Individual/personal calls• Inviting guests to meetings and encouraging membership• HR Round Table• HRCI Recognition• Raffle Prizes with Complimentary next meeting admission certificate• Other suggestions for consideration?

Best Practices Discussion• Most Successful Types of Meetings• Legal topics• Leaves of absence, harassment, etc• Strategic level HR Topics• Well-Known speakers• Employee relations• Interactive Process• HR Roundtable• Other suggestions for consideration?

Best Practices Discussion• Recruiting Members• Beg, bribe and take hostages!• Targeting those that attend district events• Make personal invitations in person• Other suggestions for consideration?

• Use your talent pool to build teams• Committees of volunteers on a single project• Less tasks for each results in longer-term leaders!• Don’t burn your board out with too much volunteer overload!• Assign small tasks with the team, and help them to grow into

a stronger team

Team Approach to Leadership

PIHRA Tool Kits• Tool Kits for most positions have been created and are posted

on the PIHRA website• Membership, Finance, others posted• Education/Programs & Legislative Affairs being finalized

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Strategic Planning & Leadership Training• Fitting the District into the overall goals of the organization• Annual Strategic Planning Meeting• Goals and Objectives for the upcoming year• Committee Assignments• Awards & Recognition

• District Training• Goals and Objectives for the upcoming year• Marilyn will be introducing the concept of one training topic per board meeting,

prior to the actual start of the board meeting, to provide ongoing PIHRA training to your board members

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Awards & Recognition• A formal Awards Program for PIHRA Districts is being designed for 2015• Goal is to kick off first round at PIHRA Convention 2015• Tentative Timeline…. • First committee meeting January, 2015• Awards Program Completion April, 2015, Roll Out May 1• Applications submitted May 1 thru June 30• Selections for first round of awards prior to the Annual Convention

(possible smaller round of awards year one, followed by additional rewards in year 2 and beyond)

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Rewards & Recognition – Draft Program• Overall PIHRA Awards• Large District & Small District Awards

• District Level Awards• Possible Awards Similar to SHRM Shape Awards• Platinum, Gold & Silver Awards Criteria to reach each level

• Ideas for New Award Program; PIHRA Overall Awards • HR Practitioner Of The Year Award/Award of Excellence in HR• President’s Award• District of The Year Award (large and small)• Legislative Advocate Award• Speaker/Trainer Awards

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Rewards & Recognition• Ideas for New Award Program; District Level • HR Practitioner Of The Year Award• District Chair Award• District Website Award• Volunteer of the Year Award• Platinum, Gold & Silver Shape-Like Awards

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Succession Planning: Developing Future Leaders• How do you begin succession planning?

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• Members become committee members• Committee members become district board members (picking

the best of the committee members)• District board members move up the chairs

Board Succession Planning

• A dynamic, ongoing process of systematically identifying, assessing, and developing high potential volunteers to contribute to the achievement of your district’s future strategic goals

• Individuals identified by District Board members as capable of advancing to the next level

• However, don’t underestimate the value of people who step up without being asked!

What is Succession Planning?

• Identify volunteers to fill those spots• Ensure the next generation of leaders are prepared to fill key

roles• Identify strengths and weaknesses• What are their talents? • What are their best skill sets?• Use those talents and skill sets as an asset

Assuring Leadership Continuity

• Can you identify replacements for the future?• Generally the same leaders year after year results in boredom,

a lack of creativity and stunts the growth of the district• New blood means new ideas, fresh ideas• Strengthen and diversify the pool• Ensure your District’s mission/vision will be carried forward by

future leaders

Future Vacancies – Plan Now!

• Handle critical tasks• Bring specialized expertise• Make decisions• Visionaries• Don’t assume they are always at the top!• Look for them and ASK!

Key Positions - Performers

• New blood is usually key to thinking outside the box• Don’t let your district get stagnant; keep it fresh and exciting!• Encourage creativity and new ideas!

Thinking Outside the Box

• Analyze member roster for higher positions• Perform a “gap analysis”• Provide key development plan for key volunteers• Match board member mentor to each key person• Create a succession plan readiness chart or other tool• Evaluate the plan on a regular basis• Communicate and stay on track

Steps to Succession Planning

• Get a commitment from your leaders!• Know the mission• Understand your membership• Know the competencies of key district positions• Lateral Succession?

How Do You Begin?

• It’s normal to have resignations due to volunteer relocations, job demands, etc, so it’s best to plan for it at all times!

• Job-sharing and committee members who can step up if necessary to fill those slots

• Create a talent pool• Think strategically• Manage the execution by influencing others and leading!• Use your communication skills; orientation and analytical skills• Build and sustain relationships; curiosity; know the business; team

orientation; adaptation

Resignations – Contingency Plans

New District Oversight Rules & Guidelines• The PIHRA VP Leadership will take on the role of District

Oversight in 2015• Rules and Guidelines to be put together in 2015

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