The Chapter President

Guide
The Chapter President

Only once in a lifetime does an individual become a chapter President. It is both an honor and a responsibility. Your fellow chapter members have elected you. Waste not a single moment to learn about your office and its various requirements. Leadership is already a quality you possess in part. The other part you must acquire through a combination of experience and learning.

It may be an easy task to be a good chapter President, but you can make sure that it becomes a rewarding experience if you know the philosophy of your new position.

1. You are a leader, public relations figure, and chief spokesman of the chapter.

2. You are the liaison officer between your chapter and your national organization; Junior Chamber International; as well as with other organizations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Here is a list of some responsibilities associated with the office of chapter President. Note from this list the versatile nature of your office.

1. Establish and maintain a sound chapter management program.

2. Organize a regular review of the chapter annual program of activities.

3. Control and supervise the affairs of the chapter.

4. Exercise some firm but friendly control over major chapter projects.

5. Organize and conduct a Local Officers Training Course for all your officers at the beginning of your year.

6. Motivate your chapter Board of Directors and the general membership to perform their duties and responsibilities.

7. Assist your chapter officers to carry out their assigned tasks.

8. Establish a good working atmosphere for your chapter officers.

9. Chair Board and general chapter meetings.

10. Make sure the chapter program stimulates a steady overall growth.

11. Where necessary, complete unfinished assignments from previous years.

12. Prepare a forward plan for your successor(s).

13. Check that all activity is consistent with the purposes and goals of your chapter, the National Organization, and JCI.

14. Check efforts and results; redirect activity if necessary.

15. Be fully involved in the day-to-day affairs of the chapter.

16. Maintain a full set of records of your Term of Office.

17. Comply with the various requirements set down by your National Organization.

18. Prepare a report to the general membership at the end of your term.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Familiarization. Read through all previous correspondence, reports, and any relevant information about chapter activity in the previous 12 months. Discuss chapter issues with the past and current chapter officers and, where possible, with national officers. Spend some time with the Immediate Past President.
2. Changeover. Invite the President and senior chapter officers of the past year for informal discussions about your program, and encourage evaluations and suggestions.

3. Organization. Carefully examine the structure of the chapter and see if it fulfills the requirements of the chapter at the present time.

After consultation with your chapter officers and your national assigned officer, prepare your program. Also prepare the duties and responsibilities of each chapter officer and project chairmen. Make sure you keep within the requirements of the chapter constitution.

4. Program. Appoint a planning committee to investigate the needs of the chapter and the community, and the interest of the members. This committee plans the program for the year based on the chapter's plan of action. This program will be sent to the Board of Directors for consideration and, after that, to the general membership for approval. When the plan is approved, the Board prints and distributes it to all members. It also reviews it periodically to ensure projects are being carried out on schedule and to make adjustments as required.

5. Goal-setting. Set a series of ambitious goals that can be achieved in all four JCI Areas of Opportunity. Have a plan of action and a timetable for each goal set.

6. Finance. The chapter President should carefully supervise the chapter's finance program. Appoint a qualified treasurer and a Finance Commission. Be sure that proper financial records are kept. Maintain a strict control of the budget and cash flow, and review the budget regularly.

7. Meetings. Too many meetings have become routine and uninteresting. Be sure to plan carefully for every meeting, whether it is the Board of Directors meeting or a general membership meeting. Every meeting must have objectives, and they must stimulate the participants.


You can be sure your chapter is having good meetings when the majority of the membership says, "I'm looking forward to the next meeting!"

8. Membership. Appoint a Membership Growth and Extensions Commission to analyze the needs and aspirations of the membership and potential chapter extensions. Give that commission the responsibility of recruitment, retention and extension.

9. Public Relations. The two parts of public relations are image (how do we see ourselves and how do others see us?) and communications (do we tell each other what is happening; do outsiders know about us; do we know about outsiders and do we listen to each other?). Appoint a Marketing and Public Relations Commission and make them be responsible for the chapter's newsletter or magazine as well as maintaining good relations with the news media.

We cannot tell you all the problems you will face as a chapter President, but you will meet with a number of them. All we can do is to remind you to be a democratic leader, a leader with vision who gives adequate thought to the chapter's program, a leader who guides and supervises the chapter officers and recognizes them for their achievements, and a leader who keeps close contact with the aspirations of the membership.

You don't know everything just because you are the chapter President... learn while you lead!

SUMMARY

You are the chapter President for only one year. If you carefully allocate that short time, build around you a working team, plan and implement a program that will benefit the chapter, the membership and the community ... then you will have that feeling of satisfaction after the completion of a good year.