Twenty Tips for Leaders
- Listen until you understand and can repeat a neighbor's point of view to their satisfaction before you share your own opinion.
- Express your ideas plainly and give clear messages.
- Build trust by being trustworthy and dependable with others.
- Encourage people to believe in themselves by helping them work with others to change their neighborhoods.
- Learn 20 different ways to say thank you, and use them.
- Don't get discouraged too often or too long.
- Ask questions to get people to think, speak, and act for themselves.
- Be open to new ideas, especially those of others.
- Be self-disciplined, set written goals for yourself, and evaluate your progress.
- Set reasonable limits on what you do--don't try to do everything for people, or you will never be able to help them do things for themselves.
- Act with courage--take risks, face criticism, and keep going when it's hard.
- Have a sense of humor.
- Ask others for help--recruit and delegate.
- Learn how to write an agenda and run a meeting.
- Make sure you read the neighborhood association's newsletter.
- Involve people in finding a solution to the problems they bring to you.
- Get involved in at least one "fun" event for your neighborhood every year.
- Learn the names of all the people on your block and where you live.
- Recruit five new members to the association each year.
- Learn how your association handles its funds.
(adapted from Si Kahn, Organizing: A Guide for Grassroots Leaders. Rev. Ed. 1991)
