It can be hard to get started in finding and engaging a mentor. Part of this comes from not knowing how to advocate for oneself or knowing the questions to ask. Mentorship programs can help overcome this obstacle by providing guidance to mentors in leading conversations that will help mentees better define goals for the engagement. Providing a playbook to both the mentor and mentee also work to set expectations and a shared vision for the mentorship engagement. 

As with other engagements, it is important for mentors and mentees to honor commitments to build trust. Communication expectations including preferred communications (email, texts, calls), acceptable response times, and meeting frequency reduce misunderstandings that can harm the relationship and outcomes of the program. 

While we tend to focus on the benefits to the mentee, mentors learn from mentees and fellow mentors. Mentors exchange communications and engagement tips and sharing resources. 

Mentorships come in different shapes and sizes as well. They can be informal such as learning about applying for job, negotiating an offer, and navigating corporate culture from older siblings. Our Fridays@4 sessions are also a form of mentorship.  Small group mentorship programs can meet the needs of a larger pool of mentees.  Mentees learn from the mentor and from one another, building important peer relationships. 

Today’s programs partner mentors and mentees remotely over different time zones and continents.  Teams may work asynchronously as well as synchronously, using technologies like WhatsApp or video chat to bridge distance.  Programs may also include micro-mentorships or limited engagements targeted to a specific challenge of the mentee. Mentorship programs are also an opportunity for representation and serving a community. 

As you develop professionally, make yourself open to serving as a mentor by participating in groups like Fridays@4.  Offer to be a sounding board or to be available for a follow-up chat.  As a mentor or mentee, curiosity and flexibility may open new doors to new opportunities you may not have otherwise considered.  

The Importance of Mentorship was a session held January 13, 2023.  Chelseah Mesa (Federal Communications Bar Association) led a conversation about mentorship programs with panelists Jennifer Alluisi, MA Ed, CAE (Custom Management Group), Benita Stocks (NAIOP Northern Virginia), and Christopher Young, CAE (DECA). 

View this session and more in our event archives.

Following are some additional resources to learn more about mentorship:

• Mentorship Resource Library
• How to Ask Someone to be your Mentor
  
• Re:Thinking with Adam Grant. (Podcast) Episode Finding – and becoming – great mentors and sponsors with Carla Harris
• 40 Questions to Ask a Mentor
• Why your Mentorship Program Isn’t Working
• Inclusive Mentorship
• How to Find a Mentor in a Virtual World.  (Podcast)
  
• How Environmental Education is Moving into High Schools

Article written by Shelly Trent, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CAE

Ah, Thanksgiving!  Time for family gatherings, turkey, pumpkin pie, and football games.  However, there is a very different type of giving thanks--the thank-you note in the job search.  Although much has changed in the job search process, such as electronic applications, Skype interviews, and applicant tracking systems (ATS), one thing has remained timeless:  the thank-you note. 

Why Send a Thank You Note?  Have a grateful heart!  A recent survey conducted by TopResume showed that sixty-eight percent of respondents said, “receiving a thank-you note affected their decision-making process about a candidate.” However, only around ten percent of candidates send a thank-you note after an in-person or phone interview.  That is unfortunate since it could make or break your chances for a job offer.  That same study also showed that “nearly one in five interviewers have completely dismissed a candidate because they didn’t receive a thank-you e-mail or note after an interview.”  It may seem old-fashioned, but good manners, a grateful attitude, and business etiquette never go out of style. 

What Should a Thank You Note Contain?  Not stuffing, but dressing!  Be sure to offer your sincere thanks for the interviewer’s time and for providing you with the opportunity to discuss your qualifications.  It is also a good time to express your continued interest in the position and to share anything you may have forgotten to mention in the interview.  If multiple interviewers were involved, you should send each person an individualized note—not the same note.  Request their business cards at the end of the meeting and try to recall something unique about each interviewer in your note.  For example, one may have been a baseball fan, another may have been an Eagle Scout, and another may have just completed an MBA.  Whatever these interests or qualities may be, mention them in your note to show that you were paying attention.  Make the note personal—not like a generic form letter.  Be sure to check your grammar and spelling!

Email or Handwritten Thank You Note?  White or dark meat, yams or sweet potatoes?  It depends.  If the interviewer has been primarily connecting with you during the process via email, then it would be acceptable to send a thank-you note via email.  However, if the interviewer has been calling you, consider a handwritten, professional-looking thank-you card.  One positive aspect of sending an e-mail thank-you note is that is arrives right away.  A mailed card could take two or more days to arrive.  If a company is more casual in its approach, an email would be fine, but for organizations that are hierarchical and traditional, a hand-written note may fare better.

How Long Should You Wait to Send a Thank You Note?  Don’t leave the pumpkin pie in the oven too long!  Ideally, you should send it immediately, and no later than 24 hours following the interview.  Usually, an organization has a small window of time in which their interviews for a position are conducted.  For example, the top three candidates might be interviewed on the same day.  Chances are high that a candidate will be selected after the last interview, which would be the end of that day.  If your thank-you note has not been received by the time the interviewer(s) are making a decision, you may have lost out on a final positive impression, and it could cost you the job. 

What If I Don’t Send a Thank You Note?  Skip the after-dinner nap if you want to see the game!  If all three of the final candidates are equal in their experience, education, and interview outcome, a thank you note could put you over the edge in comparison to the other candidates.  A recent article on CNBC.com reported:  Nearly one in five of the hiring managers and recruiters surveyed said that they'd dismissed a candidate because they didn't send a thank you note after the interview.”  You may be the only one who shows appreciation and good business etiquette, which will make a very positive impression on the interviewer. 

This “Thanksgiving” practice should be continued all year long when it comes to interview follow-up!  No matter which method of thanks you choose, showing good manners and a grateful heart will help you win the game!   Happy Thanksgiving and have a wonderful holiday season!

Article written by Shelly Trent, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CAE

If you question whether to send a cover letter with a resume, you are not alone.  Many people believe that recruiters don’t read cover letters, so they don’t provide one when applying for a job.  But, are you missing out on the opportunity to sell your communication skills?  Yes!

Think about it!  Nearly every job posting states that the organization seeks applicants with excellent communication skills.  A cover letter allows you to showcase not only your writing ability, but your ability to persuade the reader to hire you.

After working in the field of human resources for most of my career, I can tell you that, although there are some recruiters who don’t read cover letters, the majority of HR professionals (and the C-Suite) DO read them.  This is your opportunity to stand out from the other applicants.  Even if the online job application only allows you to upload one document, make your cover letter the first page and your resume the second page of a single document.

Your cover letter should not simply say, “As you can see in my resume….”  Show the reader exactly how you and your experience match the requirements listed in the job posting.  Don’t force the reader to look through your resume to find out how you are qualified.  Prove it in the cover letter.  

For example, if the posting states that applicants must have a bachelor’s degree, three years of experience in marketing, the ability to speak Spanish, and experience with Excel, your cover letter can say something like this:

“My experience and education is an exact fit for your job requirements.  I hold a Bachelor of Science in Business with a minor in Spanish, and studied abroad in Madrid for a semester.  In addition, I earned a certificate for completing an advanced Excel course and use Excel on a daily basis.  For the past four years, I have been employed as a marketing assistant by XYZ Association.”

See how that works?  The reader knows that you are the perfect fit in one paragraph!  This is not to say that your cover letter should contain only one paragraph, but it should show how you meet all of the requirements.  Further, you can show that your past experience in marketing will benefit them in a specific way or with a certain product, based on your research of the organization.  You might also tell about how you will fit in with their corporate culture.  For instance, if the organization works with a certain charity, you could mention that you volunteered for that charity during college.  Use the cover letter to show your initiative to learn about the organization.

Be sure to address your letter to a person, and never use “To Whom It May Concern,” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”  A quick Internet search will allow you to find out the name of the Human Resources Director.  Further, if you have an employee connection at the company, mention that in the first sentence:  “My good friend Joe Brown, an employee in your accounting department, suggested I would be a good candidate for this position.”  Recruiters appreciate employee referrals!  If Joe Brown is an excellent employee, there is an assumption that Joe’s friends will be as well.

Here are a few additional tips about writing cover letters:

• Use a standard business-style format.
• Address letters to a particular individual, and use his/her correct job title.
• Use the full mailing address of the organization.
• Scan in your signature and use it in the signature line of letters.
• Always send a letter with a résumé, never a résumé alone.
• Don't plagiarize letters out of books or from online sample letters.  One employer I know recognized a letter he received had been taken word for word from an online sample.
• Provide examples of a few of your accomplishments
• Be sure there are no typos or incorrect grammar!
• Don’t submit the same letter for every job.  Every letter should be specific to how you meet the requirements for that position.

A well-written cover letter is a great way to make a positive first impression and can get you an interview more effectively than a resume alone.  Good luck with your job search, and be sure to submit a cover letter for every application you submit! 

On Friday, October 7th, Emani Richmond shared with us how we can be mindful about inclusive communication.

Emani began the presentation by sharing that we must use somatic practices in order to engage in inclusive thinking. Somatic practices allow us to listen to what our bodies are telling us and then allows us to use that wisdom to pivot. She began our session with reminding us to think about our posture and hydration as we prepared to learn.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) have been very popular topics for several years, but came to the limelight during 2020 when social justice came to the forefront of challenges that we were facing during the pandemic. Organizations instantly put out statements, hired DEI staff and began the journey of trying to become inclusive entities. However, diversity is often easier than the inclusion portion of our initiatives. In order to create the inclusive environment, you must seek the four outcomes below:

• Build a framework of trust
• Understand cultural dimensions
• Become vulnerable and comfortable with self-disclosure
• Articulate steps to inclusion

Our ability to share with others information about our cultural backgrounds and challenges allows us to build empathy and deepen our connections. This ties to the social penetration theory developed in 1973 by Doctors Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor that states as relationships develop, communication moves from relatively shallow, nonintimate levels to deeper more personal ones.

We also must understand that diversity and inclusion are different. Just because you achieve diversity doesn't mean automatic inclusion will follow. Diversity is based on the identities we carry and the differences around us. Inclusion comes into play when the different groups individually feel they can be their authentic selves and fully participate in all aspects of their lives and feel valued for doing so.

So how do you present your authentic self and incorporate the culture of who you are with the culture of companies and communities you serve? You must be self-aware. You have to know who you are, be aware of your biases, be mindful of what you say and try to build an understand of others through listening. You have to use authentic and informed communication and seek out opportunities to practice. The barriers to success in this are often tied to fear of self disclosure, mistaking diversity for inclusion, fear of failure and group think. 

This doesn't mean we won't slip up on our journey to understanding or that those around us will fall in line as we progress, but we must learn how to hold each other accountable in a way that is educational rather than punitive. We need to call in the person when they say or do something perceived as offensive instead of calling them out putting them in a defensive mode. If a person shows effort from learning then we can allow for grace to happen.

At the end of the day, each person's differences, life experiences and challenges they have had to overcome create better opportunities and bring more ideas to the table than if we try to make everyone the same. Embrace diversity, learn about each individual, be open to hard conversations and inclusion will begin to happen.

On September 30, Fridays@4 transitioned into a new leadership cycle and celebrated the work under the outgoing President, Paul Weintraub and learned what to expect during the next leadership cycle with our new President, Shelly Trent. 

Paul kicked off the session by sharing the timeline of Fridays@4 from its inception in 2020 after the ASAE Annual Meeting to where we are now in our first leadership transition.

Fridays@4 began when a few people came together and recognized a need for an organization that could connect virtually while providing peer support and continuing education to assist those who were seeking their next opportunity during the pandemic or just wanted a way to connect with others while learning new skills.

The initial Board included Paul Weintraub as President/CEO, Shelly Trent as President Elect, Heather Story as Treasurer, Vita Washington as Secretary and Kenjie Davis as Membership Director. This Board has put in a tremendous amount of work with the help of committees and volunteers over the last two years. Their key accomplishments include:

• 2 keys sponsors with ASAE the first year and Conference Direct the second year.
• Approved to be a CAE credit provider by ASAE
• Approved to be a 501c3 organization
• Held 100+ continuing education sessions
• 500 contacts with 400 being members in the database
• Weekly enewsletter
• $3,000+ in donations to help offset operating expenses

The new Board is beginning their work starting October 1st. The new Board includes Shelly Trent as President, Heather Story as President Elect, Marjie George as Secretary, Vita Washington as Secretary and Kenjie Davis as Director.

Shelly shared her goals and mentioned that they will be reviewed by the Board this week. Some suggested goals are:

• Fundraise enough money for 2 years of reserves
• Develop more programs focused on nonprofit and association management
• Collaborate with like entities, i.e. ASAE, Association Forum, State Society of Association Executives
• Create a better member onboarding experience and do additional research around member value
• Expanding online content 
• Increase membership to 1,000 members by year end 2023
• Develop fee-based programs

Shelly is seeking ideas that she can share with the Board for possible implementation. If you have any ideas on how we can build upon our current momentum, please email Fridays@4 at info@fridaysat4.org.

Fridays@4 is 100% volunteer driven and our work would not be possible without the dedication of our current and incoming volunteers. We are always looking for people to assist us with our efforts. If you are able to help, please visit our volunteer web page. 

Fridays@4 members came together for the first time in person during the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN. Over 20+ members of the Fridays@4 community were in attendance and participated in our group dinner on Monday, August 22^nd at the Nash House Spoon and Saloon. After seeing everyone for two years virtually, it was the first time many of us had met each other in person and it was fantastic.

The theme for this year’s Annual Meeting was centered around disruption creating opportunity in our everyday work. The last two years have been critical in showing us that in order for our businesses to continue to exist, we must be willing to take some risk so that disruption does not close our business, but rather creates new opportunity. We must use foresight, vision, strategy and collaboration in order to identify changes and pivot as needed.

Some key highlights from the conference included:

• Opening Session – Safi Bachall shared that the single distinguisher for disruption is experimentation at pace and scale. He used Circuit City as an example of being a leader in the retail tech space prior to Best Buy coming on board. Best Buy’s ability to experiment on small scales and being nimble eventually gave them the edge to become the leader. He also mentioned that creating innovative cultures take time because of the fear of failure and the lack of risk tolerance in organizations. He shared 5 practical rules for making the shift – celebrate good fails, reduce friction to run experiments (be a gardner, not a Moses), equally love your artists and your soldiers, measure speedboats and helicopters, get quickly to the boats in the water.
• Marcus Whitney’s session – Marcus shared his journey from working in restaurants while struggling to raise a young family to his journey as a venture capitalist and soccer team owner. As a black man, Marcus is often a minority in the circles he works with in the spaces of healthcare and soccer. In 2020, when social justice issues came to light, Marcus knew he had to do something and that he could possibly have an impact in the healthcare space regarding service to underrepresented groups. He sent a letter to several Nashville healthcare provider executives sharing his concerns regarding healthcare for minorities. He succeeded and was able to begin the conversation with large healthcare providers to create equal opportunities for healthcare for all. This is still something he continues to work on.
• Leadership tracks – Leadership has changed since the pandemic. People are being forced to pivot faster than ever and for leaders that can create challenges of bringing their teams along at the same pace. Fear, doubt, complexity and being overwhelmed are driving themes in what has been called perma crisis mode, but relational leadership can help shift our organizations to the level they need to be at in what is now our post pandemic world. Global trends and association trends need to be considered. Global trends impacting our businesses are lack of trust, culture, technological changes, Environmental Social and Governance (ESG)/Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) models, complexity missteps and the Metaverse redefining reality. Association trends include more non-dues revenue drivers, trust trifectas between employees, members and stakeholders, safe events, online communities, accelerated micro learning upskills and rethinking our purposes. We also must be willing to make a more humane effort in our workplaces than ever before and balance power in organizations to avoid power struggles.
• Transitioning in the association world – People are still seeking their next roles or balancing their new roles since the pandemic. The conference offered several panels for association professionals in transition sharing that it is okay to ask for help, reach out to executive recruiters and begin the conversation of what you are seeking, build your network of both people in your space and outside of your space. It was recommended to build a spreadsheet to track your search. As you get offers, trust your gut instincts on whether it is the right fit. If it doesn’t feel right, politely decline and look for something else.
• The Disruption = Opportunity theme carried through to the Awards Luncheon and Closing Keynote, with award recognitions honoring association leaders who have blazed trails in the industry, a celebration of the 102 newly certified CAEs and a welcoming of the new officers and directors for the ASAE and ASAE Research Foundation Boards of Directors. The Closing keynote featured Cidny Bullens, GRAMMY-nominated musician and LGBTQ advocate, who shared an emotionally inspired life story. He spoke of growing up knowing that he was, as his mother put it, “born wrong.” Although his career rose to great heights, including playing onstage with Elton John in the mid-seventies, he suppressed his true self. It was only after the tragic death of his 11-year-old daughter in 1996 to cancer that he returned to music after trying for years to live the façade of a stay-at-home mom. With the help of his musician friends, including Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, and Rodney Crowell, he recorded an awarding-winning album of deeply personal songs written as his way to work through the grieving process. Following its release, he traveled the world speaking on behalf of bereaved parents. In 2011 he began what would become a year-long transformation from female to male, when “Cindy” would officially become “Cidny.” Since then, he has performed a one-person show advocating for LGBTQ rights. He ended his address with an uplifting message that through a lifetime of disruption and opportunity, he discovered that, “I wasn’t born wrong, I was born me.”

On August 9, we discussed highlights from the 2022 Annual meeting and several people shared sessions that positively impacted them. Several people were impressed with Cidny Bullens closing session, but others noted were Jeff DeCagna’s presession on Building a Fit-for-Purpose Board of Directors in the Turbulent Twenties, Brian Summers’ presentation on Faciliatation: The Essential Association Expertise, Richard Greene’s Redefining the Art of Public Speaking, a panel on Executive Transitions and a session from Lowell Aplebaum discussing the shift in power dynamics and how to create balance in your association. Everyone agreed that the best part of the conference was finally getting the chance to see everyone in person after a couple of years of Zoom.

If you missed this year’s event, ASAE has a virtual option available with some of the sessions. You can register here for the online event. The 2023 ASAE Annual Meeting will be held in Atlanta, GA on August 5-8, 2023. Registration information is usually available on the ASAE website in March or April.

We had our second book club discussion on Rita McGrath's Seeing Around Corners: How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen.

Feborah Dixon led us on a great discussion centered around the key points of the book. If you have not read the book, you can get a summary of it here. 

The book focuses on three themes:

• How do you see an inflection point?
• How do you decide what to do?
• How do you bring people along?

The author uses the analogy throughout the book of snow melting from the edges and that we must be present at those edges to see the change that is coming. There are eight practices she recommends that can help you identify potential areas of inflection before they disrupt your company.

• Ensure direct connection between the people at the edges of your company and leadership
• Include diverse perspectives in thinking about the implications of the future
• Use deliberate decision making processes for consequential and irreversible decision. Use small, agile, empowered teams for reversible experimental decisions.
• Foster little bets that are rich in learning, ideally distributed across the organization
• Pursue direct contact with the environment
• Make sure your people are incentivized to hear about reality
• Realize when your people are in denial
• Expose yourself and your organization to where the future is unfolding today

She also mentions looking at various indicators tied to your business while paying close attention to what she calls leading indicators. Oftentimes, we focus on lagging indicators (operating margins, revenue, turnover) and current indicators (what is happening now) and forget to look at leading indicators (pieces that are not yet facts, but rather qualitative thoughts about the organization). 

In order for an organization to make the shifts necessary and become innovative and forward-thinking, leaders need practices such as continuous reconfiguration rather than relying on stability. The ability to be nimble and focus on voices outside of the leadership team will be crucial as oftentimes the people in the trenches can see what is happening more clearly than leadership that is more hands off in the day to day hands on work of the company. The group discussed that one of the challenges around this is that associations tend to be more risk adverse than for-profit organizations. Members involvement in decisions and long histories with a level of stability provide challenges in today's environment of change. Don't worry though, the author outlines a plan for how organizations can move their people level to level when coping with inflection points.

• Level 1: Create an appetite for innovation
• Level 2: Get started and clear the way
• Level 3: Local proof of concept
• Level 4: Launch a few opportunistic wins
• Level 5 and 6: Begin challenging systems, structures and routines
• Level 7: Institutionalize
• Level 8: Continuous renewal in innovation

At the end of the book, the author provides a chapter for how to use this method for seeing inflection points in your own life as well. 

If you would like more resources to study the themes in this book, you can visit the links below. 

• Rita McGrath Group
• Franklin Covey - Seeing Around Corners (YouTube video)
• Achieving Strategic Agility by Seeing Around Corners (Forbes)
• Summary: Seeing Around Corners by Rita McGrath (Waiyancan)

If you would like to view the presentation, visit the Fridays@4 event archives. You must be a member to view previous events.

Thank you to our blogger this week, Shelly Trent, for providing a terrific summary of our recent session. Please read below to learn more about returning to in-person meetings.

Speakers:

Feborah Dixon, CMP
Andrea Y. Massengile, CMP
Darlene W. Somers, CMP, DES

They’re BAAAACK!  In-person events are back in swing now that most people have received COVID-19 vaccinations.  People are not as nervous about being in close contact with others, so meetings and conferences are opening up again in 2022.  The speakers noted that the attendance numbers were higher than expected, probably because members are tired of Zoom meetings – they want to learn and network face-to-face.  Hybrid meetings are still an option, and many members will expect to have that choice.  Further, international speakers or attendees may not be able to travel yet, depending on the status of COVID in their countries, so virtual options will be needed for them.  Remember that hybrid events come with additional expenses, so conference registration fees may need to be increased to cover the costs.

Federal COVID guidelines are still in place, so meeting planners need to continue to follow the protocols.  However, state guidelines may be different than the federal protocols, and states may not allow masks, proof of vaccinations or a recent negative test, or other COVID precautions.  Other states will, of course, allow proof of vaccinations, and your event planners can use an outside vendor to collect them if needed.  Even without masking, conference planners can set up the rooms with social distancing in mind. 

Registrants should sign a disclosure statement that says the association cannot be sued if an attendee tests positive for COVID following the event.  Consider surveying members prior to planning your event to ask them what level of safety they feel most comfortable with and then act accordingly.  “Over communication” to attendees about the event safety plan is key during COVID!  Most people don’t read emails carefully, so the more information you provide about your event, the better.

Keep in mind that some of your speakers and even staff will not be able to attend the event at the last minute, due to a positive COVID test or COVID illness in their immediate family.  Some speakers and/or attendees may even get COVID from their flights.  If your event is in a state or country and you are not familiar with their COVID regulations, consider hiring an attorney from that state/country who can guide your decisions regarding safety.

Conference staff can use safety protocols such as Plexiglas dividers at registration, masks for all staff, health checks onsite, COVID catering protocols, etc.  Some conference centers and hotels are “back to normal” with events, so if your organization wants to employ safety procedures, it may be challenging to use those facilities.  Ensure that the vendors you use for A/V, catering, etc., are going to follow the procedures you have in place so that your attendees will feel at ease.  Hotels and conference centers underwent dire financial circumstances during COVID, and are no longer being understanding about cancellations, so expect to pay cancellation fees.  If you have registrants who want to cancel based on your COVID protocol, rather than return their registration fees, offer to roll them over to another event.

Participants, staff, and speakers will undoubtedly test positive during your event.  As your staff and the hotel is made aware of positive tests, it is a good idea to send emails and conference app notifications to ensure everyone is informed.  Once you know that you have COVID-positive people at your event, consider offering them complementary meals delivered to their hotel rooms.  As long as your event is hybrid, those who have tested positive can continue to enjoy the conference from their hotel rooms (as long as they are not too ill).  Continue to send texts to those attendees to make them feel included and check on their wellness.  Most hotels will also monitor the guest’s wellness and needs.

If you would like more information, here are the additional resources the speakers shared at the end of the presentation:

• How to Safely Return to In-Person and Hybrid Events
  Rachel Rappaport
• A Roadmap to Returning to In-Person Events in 2022
  Jana Smith
• In-Person Events are Back: Here's How to Plan Accordingly
  Forbes
• Returning to In-Person Events: How to Make the Transition Safely
  Victoria Rudi
• 10 Tips to Follow for Physical Events Post-COVID
  Thomas Davey

To view a recording of the event, please visit the Fridays@4 event archives. You must be a member to access the event archives. If you are not a member, you can join here.

The Fridays@4 Society is accepting nominations for President-Elect and Secretary for a term beginning October 1, 2022. This is a great opportunity to build your leadership skills and help continue to advance our growing organization. Self-nominations are welcome. If you are interested in serving on the Board or would like to nominate someone to serve on the Board, please submit your nomination to secretary@fridaysat4.org. The nomination period will be from June 20 - July 20, 2022.

POSITION DESCRIPTIONS

President-Elect
The President-Elect chairs committees on special subjects as designated by the board. The President-Elect will preside at the meetings of the organization and of the board in the absence of the President. In the event of the disability of the president, the President-Elect will become acting president with all the powers of the President. The President-Elect will serve for a term of two (2) years and shall be elected in an even year. The President-elect will become the President at the end of their 2-year term.

Secretary
The Secretary must keep records of board actions, including taking minutes at all board meetings, sending out meeting announcements, distributing copies of minutes and the agenda to each board member, and maintaining corporate records. The Secretary will keep the records and papers of the organization for historical purposes. The Secretary will perform such other duties as the board may assign. The Secretary will serve for a term of two (2) years.

POTENTIAL BOARD NOMINEE QUESTIONS

• What excites you about Fridays@4?
• How would others who served with you describe your leadership style?
• In your opinion, what are the core responsibilities of board members? List three.
• What are the core values and experiences you bring to the leadership landscape?How will you take an active role in making connections, building relationships, and business development?
• What is your vision and what are your priorities to help Fridays@4 achieve its mission?
• The Fridays@4 Board requires 3-8 hours a week. Please confirm that you are willing to commit to this. How will you ensure that you can dedicate the time needed to serve the organization in a leadership role?

We started our Book Club Discussion Series on Simon Sinek's Finding Your Why. 

Ann Link led the discussion by sharing some of the key highlights from the book followed by a lively discussion from our attendees. Sinek and his team have created a framework over the years to help individuals and their organizations find their why. He uses what is called a Golden Circle which he explains in his first book and discusses during his TED Talk - Start With Why.

The book "Finding Your Why" is more of a workshop guide that provides instruction for how readers can find their individual why, their department why or their organizational Why. It also breaks down on the type of people you can bring in to help with this. For individuals, it can be difficult to find your Why on your own and therefore you should include a partner who can help identify themes in your stories to help draft your Why. For organizations, it is recommended to bring in a facilitator in certain scenarios. If you are the facilitator for this exercise, the book provides guidelines for that as well.

For individuals, our Why or purpose in life is fully developed by our late teens and is based on memories of events throughout our lives. After going through the Why exercise, your basic statement will follow a pattern of "To _____ so that _______". This statement will be relevant to your personal life and professional life. We don't have a separate one because our Why is at the core of who we are. 

In organizations, you will have an overall why and then you can have what is called nested whys for each department; however, all nested Whys will serve the companies overarching Whys. Sinek and team believe that an individual why must align with a company Why in order for success to take place and for the individual to feel fulfilled. This doesn't mean that a new staff member would create a Why, but rather would need to make sure the Why of the culture fits their current purpose. The Why for a company doesn't usually change, but rather identifies people who fit their Why to help move them forward.

As you work through the exercises to determine your Why and discuss pieces of the Golden Circle, you will learn that What you or the organization offer are your products, services and job functions, the Hows are your values, guiding principles and actions that differentiate us and the Why defines what you and the organization stand for - the collective purpose, cause or belief. The What will be the easiest to understand and the Why the hardest. The What comes from our neo-cortex or the part of the brain responsible for rational, analytical thought and language. The Why corresponds to the limbic brain which is responsible for feelings, but has no capacity for language making it difficult to communicate our Why, so we must pose questions in the form of What first to get there.

If you would like some more information around Simon Sinek's Why philosophy and how to incorporate it into your personal and professional life, please check out the resources below.

• Start with Why Ted Talk
• Start with Why Book 
  (explains Golden Circle and concept of why)
• Find Your Why Book 
  (guides you through how to find your why and your company's why)
• Leaders Eat Last Book
  (explains Circle of Safety concept)
• Circle of Safety Video
• The Optimism Company by Simon Sinek