Points to Ponder #05-15

POINTS TO PONDER

Issue 05-15

From CSFC President Helen Zajac

CATEGORY:  Chapter Suggestions    October 26, 2005

Subject:  Chapter Management Development Symposium

The recent Region VIII/IX Symposium held in Reno on September 28-29, 2005 was attended by 123 California Federation members.  In the month since that time, it is hoped that these attendees have shared the information they have learned with the members of their chapters.  It is essential to the health of NARFE that every chapter take action on each of these topics and at least try to implement some of the ideas which were presented.  This is just a brief summary of items covered in each session – the complete compilation of this information from all Symposiums throughout the country will be put together into a document which will be issued by Headquarters prior to the National Convention in September 2006.  The membership statistics presented at the Symposium make it apparent that there needs to be some positive change made in many of our chapter operations in order to turn around this decline.  In four years, NARFE membership has declined from 409,365 in the year 2000 to 365,821 in 2004.  In California alone, we lose 4 times the members that we recruit – mostly due to non-renewal.

Each attendee at the Symposium attended four sessions, in which they had the opportunity to present ideas that worked in their chapters regarding (1) Recruitment and Retention; (2) Effective Communications; (3) Chapter Meetings/Activities; and(4) Leadership Development.  Thanks to CSFC Executive Vice President H. Ray Harrington, and District I Vice President Bob Davidson for assisting in preparation of this information.

The Region VIII National Field Vice President, Forney Lundy, has also prepared a report of this Symposium, which is posted on the Federation Web Site, www.csfcnarfe.org under Region VIII.

Ideas presented as Best Chapter Practices at the 2005 CSFC Convention held in San Mateo are also posted on the CSFC Web Site. 

RECRUITMENT

-         Persistence!  That is the Number 1 rule in membership!  Keep enrolling members!

-         Every chapter member submits the names and addresses of five people they worked with in the federal government to the chapter membership chair. Membership Chair contacts potential members.

-         Set the price of the pre-retirement seminar high enough to cover the cost of gift membership for each employee attending the seminar.

-         Get to know the agency heads in your chapter’s logistic service area.

-         Carry membership applications when traveling. You will come in contact with many federal employees (i.e. TSA & Coast Guard) and annuitants. (fellow travelers.)

-         Write letters to editor explaining what NARFE is doing for the community; there is no charge for these letters.

-         Chapters recognize the members who are recruiting new members.

-         Chapters recognize the members who are volunteering and serving the local community.

-         Provide NARFE magazines for libraries, doctor offices, senior centers, dentist offices etc.

-         Every NARFE member is a recruiter

-         Every Chapter should have a MEMBERSHIP ACTION PLAN.

-         Gift membership to your letter carrier, postmaster or window clerk as award for good service to public.

-         Let your community know what NARFE members are doing in community via Public Service Announcements (PSAs) in newspapers, on radio and Community Access Cable television.

-         Hold a pizza party at a local federal agency.

-         Have a NARFE display table at Community Health Fairs; County Fairs, Community Celebrations, and other local events. (Apply for National Matching Funds.)

-         At Federal Agencies hold a drawing for a free one year membership. (To obtain a list of potential members to be contacted by recruiting letter.)

-         Have fun while recruiting.

 RETENTION

-         Retention starts the day a member joins the chapter

-         Chapter board members are appointed to be a “buddy” for new member at the new members’ first two meetings.

-         Greeter(s) welcomes every member as the member enters the meeting.

-         Personal contact with members that appear on M-112 as receiving 2^nd notice.

-         Chapter pays dues withholding rebate to member and then submits to CSFC Treasurer for repayment to Chapter.

-         Conduct Chapter survey of members wants and needs.

-         Make meetings an enjoyable experience.

-         Have an excellent newsletter that keeps all members informed. (Public Relations Handbook)

-         Personal contact of dropped members to ask why they dropped and ask them to please fill out an exit survey.

-         Build loyalty to chapter by providing value

-         First year of membership is the key to retention.

-         Offer high quality programs and education at meetings

-         From M-112, Chapter sends a reminder card the month before renewal is due.

-         Some chapters offer incentives for members signing up for dues withholding.

-         Chapter picks up meal charges for new members first meeting.

-         Raffles and prizes at meetings.

-         Every meeting should have an agenda for organization.

 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS: Chapter Newsletters

A.     Why put out the effort?  Information is the name of the game!

-          90% of chapter members do not attend meetings and of those 80% fail to read the NARFE magazine and are not connected to the internet to be able to use NARFE Net/Web sites.

-          20% of chapter members utilize electronic information services (GEMS).

-          Majority of members do not get information regarding NARFE activities and we MUST get the news to them to get them to participate in NARFE objectives.

B.     How do we communicate with our members?

-          Chapter meetings – this method is a monthly activity reaching less than 10% of members and usually the same members.

-          Telephone trees – brief messages with little result.

-          Email – still only reach 20% of members and long messages are glossed over by most.

-          Newsletters – they reach 99.44% of members and if done well will be read.

C.     What do we put in newsletters?

-          Dry stuff i.e. meeting announcements, membership figures, brief summary of minutes, treasurer’s reports, Congressional addresses, etc.

-          Legislative information – what is happening with our bills in Congress and State Legislatures, sample letters to our representatives, communications with representatives.

-          Service/personnel issues and announcements to include items of interest to current federal employee (CFE) members.

-          Chapter activities showing the reader that the chapter is alive and kicking i.e. Congressional visits, yard sales, picnics, trips, work on Care Packages, etc. these are all issues of interest.

-          Have a “Meet Our Member” feature; get to know your chapter members

-          Editorials, statements on issues by NARFE officials/ Congresspersons/celebrities.

D.    Making and mailing a newsletter.

-          Decide to put out a newsletter and get an editor.

-          Decide on formatting, venture into using photographs, get written reports from committees, etc.

-          Advertising will pay for your newsletter and is legal.

-          Mailing permits and requirements – not as complicated as it seems

-          Non-profit standard mails

-          Emailing to members and others is a great method and is FREE!

E.     Benefits

-          Informed chapter members are active chapter members who write letters to congresspersons, send money to causes (Alzheimer’s, FEEA), etc.

-          Generates interest in attending meetings

-          Keeps members from dropping out.

-          Helps to recruit new members and demonstrates that this is an active, responsive organization that is worthy of joining.

-          Can be shared with other chapters and organizations i.e. unions, civic groups, senior centers, etc. any where that federal employees or retirees may congregate, and may be used to generate interest in NARFE issues in others.

Information in an information age!

CHAPTER MEETINGS/ACTIVITIES

-          Provide a “Welcome” package to each new member:  include a welcome letter, name of officers and contact information, newsletter, an Orientation Manual for New Members, etc.

-          Ask your members what they would like to have for a chapter meeting/activity

-          Hold a critique at the end of each meeting to see what the members liked and disliked

-          Change the meeting format, day, time, location

-          Seat members by their birthday month to offer the opportunity for members to get to know each other

-          Have name badges for each member which lists not only their name, but also the agency from which they retired

-          Have a meeting at a local museum

-          If there are golfers in the chapter, have a round of golf, then hold the meeting at the golf club house, or nearby restaurant

-          Have greeters at the exit, thanking members for attending the meeting

-          After the Pledge, have members turn to member seated next to them and say, “Hi, Glad to See You Here Today”

-          Consider a weekend, breakfast, or late afternoon meeting (once or twice a year) to allow current federal employees to attend and get to know members

-          Hold a mini training session for each office/committee at meetings to get members acquainted with the duties of each position

-          Have real committees in each chapter – more than just the chair

-          Thank members for their service and involvement

-          Have a suggestion box at each meeting

-          Visit other chapters in your district to get ideas on how they run their meetings

-          Include a survey with your newsletter to get opinions of members who do not attend meetings – you might find out why they don’t attend

-          Offer to share a ride for a member who no longer drives

-          Get chapter members involved with community project such as Habitat for Humanity, coach a little league team, visit nursing homes, recycling efforts, reading to children at the local library, Meals on Wheels, etc.

 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

-          Be Positive – avoid negative thoughts – “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you are correct.”

-          Establish goals, implement, manage, evaluate changes

-          Consider term limits to allow long time officers to change positions and have a chance to refresh enthusiasm, thoughts and perspectives

-          Personally request a member (one on one) to serve as an officer/committee chair; explain the duties and the approximate personal time involved

-          Ask a friend or co-worker to assist you this year to learn the job, with the intent to take over that position for the next year

-          Offer training through personal assistance to member to help them learn a position

-          Have a “President A Month” – members volunteer to get the speaker and run the meeting a month at a time

-          Have a “shared” Presidency – one member does paperwork/computer efforts, the other runs meetings, visits other chapters

-          Have an “Assistant” or “Elect” position for each officer/committee chair

-          Officers/Chairs visit with chapter members before and after business meetings, rather than being busy with their duties – get to know the members and share a little about your position with them

-          Encourage new members to get involved in committee assignments upon joining – set up situations for new members to have the opportunity to lead

-          Offer the opportunity for Current Federal Employees to become actively involved in the background – computer proficiency for newsletters, mailing lists, legislative information, telephone tree, etc.

-          Watch for members who are active participants at meetings, asking questions, volunteering – they are candidates for officers

-          Be alert to those members who have potential, but are not sure what could/should be done

-          Develop guidelines for chapter officers using the Duties and Responsibilities from Headquarters – perhaps a binder of reference materials for each

-          Encourage members to attend District and Federation meetings/training – offer to pay at least partial expenses

-          Have a long time member serve as a “mentor” to new members; explain the why, or why not for chapter operations

-          Give fair consideration to all members and their beliefs/ideas

-          Don’t prejudge a member because you think they “don’t know”, or  “don’t have experience”

-          Be flexible – maybe it’s time to make a change  - you might like it; and nothing is as constant as change

-          Be available to help out when necessary

-          Be prepared for each meeting – have an agenda – be aware of the issues to be presented – keep your meeting crisp

-          Give credit where credit is due

-          Lose the “I” factor – successful chapters are a result of many members working together