Slide 1

NCRSC Leadership WorkshopJune 14, 2008

Today we will be orienting ourselves to some of the principles and qualities we look for and try to exhibit as Leaders in NA. Specifically, we will look at the following:

The Traditions and Concepts as a foundation for Leadership.

The Responsibilities of All Leaders in NA

Teamwork as an essential component of Leadership (Qualities of an Effective Team)Goals Of This Workshop: The Leader as an effective Facilitator

Leadership Communication Skills & The Leader as a conduit of information

Our personal Leadership development A call to action

Goals Of This Workshop:

Part 1Our Traditions and Concepts:

A Foundation For Leadership in NA

Our Traditions & Concepts:A Foundation for Leadership in NA The source for guidance on the roles, qualities, and practice of leadership in NA comes from our Steps, Traditions, and Concepts.

Any discussion of leadership must start here and the foundation for success of any leader in NA must start with an understanding of our Steps, Traditions, and Concepts.

Concept Four: Effective leadership is highly valued in Narcotics Anonymous. Leadership qualities should be carefully considered when selecting trusted servants.

Our Traditions & Concepts:A Foundation for Leadership in NA

Large Group DiscussionOur Traditions & Concepts:A Foundation for Leadership in NA

Large Group Discussion What does this Concept tell us about Leadership in NA from a Committee/Group perspective?

How do we individually apply this Concept as NA leaders?

Part 2Leader Responsibilities:

Planning / Organizing / Prioritizing: Helping service bodies to set goals and stay focused on them.

Oversight and Evaluation: Tracking progress toward goals. Evaluating how effective the service body is in fulfilling its purpose. How efficient it is in operating, and how well the team works together.

Creating an Atmosphere of Recovery: Making the connection between service and recovery.Leader Responsibilities:Functions of All Leaders in NA Communication: Articulating the goals and vision of NA. Encouraging involvement and showing the value of involvement for individual recovery and for NA as a whole.

Leadership Development: Helping all members find ways to serve and contribute their talents. Matching that talent to task and bringing out the best in others. (Coaching and Mentoring)

Leader Responsibilities:Functions of All Leaders in NALeader Responsibilities:What Leaders Focus On: The Whole: How our actions as a service body support and impact NA as a whole.

The Vision: How we are continually working toward our goals and the ultimate impact we strive for our vision, the reason we do what we do.

The Future: How we can best meet the needs of our fellowship today, while anticipating and preparing for the needs we will have tomorrow. How we can make the Group, Area, or Region more effective and more efficient in providing services.Leader Responsibilities:

Large Group Discussion:

What are some critical skills or qualities that leaders must possess to be effective?

Part 3Teamwork As Part Of Leadership:

Operating As Part Of A Team Leadership is not a solo action.

To be effective, leaders draw from the diverse talents & experiences of the group.

Operating as a team has many benefits, such as:

Builds Unity around a common purpose & vision Broadens the opportunities for service Develops future leaders Characteristics Of Effective Teams Clear R____ and R_____________

Clear P______ and D________

Team S_____ and B________

O________V_____ Characteristics Of Effective Teams Clear Roles and Responsibilities

Clear Purpose and Direction

Team Skills and Behaviors

Operating Values Characteristics Of Effective Teams Clear Roles and Responsibilities

Team members understand their responsibilities and expectations for performance.

Team as a whole understands its function, results it must produce, and how that supports the function

Clear Purpose and Direction

Team is driven by a central purpose.

Team has agreed on clear goals and a strategy to reach those goals.Characteristics Of Effective Teams Team Skills and Behaviors

Team members exhibit team skills and behaviors such as: effective communication and conflict management.

Operating Values

The team has agreed how they will work together, including ground rules for discussion, how they will handle disagreement, or conflict, etc.

Characteristic of Effective Teams:Small Group DiscussionTeam Scenario:

The more experienced members of the ASC are frustrated. The ASC doesnt seem to be functioning well as a team: The H&I committee wants more money for literature than the ASC has budgeted for. Many GSRs just come to buy their literature and leave. Activities wants to do their third event without submitting a budget for the first one. Three people want to be convention chair but none are willing to stand for PI/PR chair

Characteristic of Effective Teams:Small Group Discussion What could be the source of the problem?

Which characteristics of an effective team is the ASC not exhibiting?

What could the Chairperson do to help get the ASC back on track?Small Group Process: Report Your Groups Results . . .

Break Time

Part 4The Leader as a Facilitator:

The Leader As A Facilitator Concept 7 tells us how important it is for a leader to generate dialog, discussion, and input within our service groups.

As a facilitator a leader fosters group conscience to guide discussion and decision making.

A leader must know how to build consensus and productively manage conflict within the group so that all points of view can be considered, but so that the group can ultimately make a decision. The Leader As A Facilitator Essential techniques to generate dialog and discussion:

Create an environment that allows for open discussion.

Make sure the topic or issue to be discussed is clear and understood by all.

Keep the focus on the topic or issue.

Allow enough time for the group to explore and discuss topic or issue before asking them to make a decision.

Listen effectively to understand what is being said.The Leader As A Facilitator When its time to make a decision, leaders can use the following steps:

Clarify the decision that needs to be made & the goal the group is trying to achieve by making the decision.

Reflect on the input received and identify common thoughts or ideas.

Build & evaluate solutions/options to address the issue.

Choose the solutions/options that will best meet the groups goal.

Prepare for action & implementation of the decision.Facilitation Challenge:Large Group DiscussionScenario:

The Regional Service Committee is discussing the development of a Public Relations strategy that areas within the Region can implement. There is a fair amount of disagreement among the RSC members about what should be done. In the end, some strong personalities on the RSC that were the most vocal during the discussion are shaping the groups opinion. As the chairperson, you fear that decisions will be made that do not reflect the group conscience.

Facilitation Challenge:Large Group Discussion What could the chairperson do to better manage the discussion?

The Leader As A Facilitator Key Points:

Set ground rules for discussions, including the idea that to make the best decision we need to consider and hear all points of view.

When brainstorming, focus on solutions and prevent the group from evaluating the ideas presented, until its time to make a decision.

When the issue is controversial or when there is a lot of disagreement, ensure that comments focus on the issue, problem, or idea under discussion and not just individuals in the group.

Part 5Leaders as Communicators :

8th Concept: Our service structure depends on the integrity and effectiveness of our communications.

Leaders as Communicators:

Large Group Discussion

Leaders as Communicators:

Large Group Discussion What does this Concept tell us about Leadership in NA from a Committee/Group perspective?

How do we individually apply this Concept as NA leaders?

Leaders as Communicators: Leaders in NA must be effective communicators at different levels:

One-on-one individually: as a mentor or coach.

Within a team: facilitator. Helps the group brainstorm ideas, solve problems, etc.

Within the Service Structure: acts as a conduit of information between bodies of the service structure, making sure that everyone has the information, input, and feedback that they need to perform their functions. Leaders within the NA service structure are responsible for carrying forward the needs and concerns of the fellowship, and for sharing their thoughts and ideas.

To be an effective conduit of information, leaders must:

Have a clear understanding of the roles and functions of the other parts of the service structure they are communicating with. Know what information is most essential to deliver to these service bodies and what information to take back to their own group from these service bodies. Deliver the information in the most efficient way possibleLeaders as Communicators: When we are effective conduits of information for our group, we broaden their understanding of the bigger organization they are a part of. We give them new ideas and thoughts to consider in achieving their goals, and we support development of future leaders for NA.

Leaders as Communicators: Some general ideas of important information to carry forward to other levels of the NA service structure:

Meeting information: time, day, and place.

Issues of concern or challenges to help other service bodies focus their efforts or to make informed decisions about service needed.

Recent successes that others can learn from or use to be more effective.

Input on issues as requested by other service bodies.Leaders as Communicators: Some general ideas of important information to bring back to your group from other parts of the NA service structure:

Anything that a service committee is asking guidance or input on.

Financial information, especially local.

Activities, events, or service efforts that need support (financial or HR).Leaders as Communicators: In some instances we have specific responsibilities as leaders to provide input to other levels of the NA service structure. Examples, include:

CAR (Conference Agenda Report).

Leaders as Communicators:Tips and Techniques For Efficiently Sharing Information Summarize the input you are passing on, so others can identify the most common ideas or themes (the shorter, the better).

Organize the information, being sensitive to how others will use the information you give them (this requires an understanding of how the information may be used to make decisions, what the functions and goals are of the service bodies to whom you are delivering information).

Consider offering a summarized handout so that everyone has the same information.Tips and Techniques For Efficiently Sharing Information Highlight items that need group discussion or feedback, perhaps even make it a worksheet that they can use to bring back feedback.

If possible, make detailed reports available before the ASC/RSC so that the members have the opportunity to read them over prior to the oral report.

Remember that there are always new members in the room that will need a bit of orientation to your report. Take a few minutes to be sure all understand what the expectation is.Tips and Techniques For Efficiently Sharing Information Pause at the end of each segment to field questions before changing topics.

If you know that you have a hot topic issue, you may want to approach the individual(s) who are passionate about it to talk through some of the finer points before engaging the entire ASC/RSC.

Remind members that their partnership is critical to the success of exercising the 8th Concept. They too, must turn and share much of this information with other members who are dependant on their follow- through.

Part 6Individual Activity

Leadership Is Action, Not Position

In Closing Wrap Up

In Closing - Wrap Up Never underestimate the impact you have as leaders. You may think that you can have but little impact because you are one of many leaders the group has had. Or are a leader for just a short period of time. But remember

How we exercise leadership has an impact beyond our level in the service structure, and beyond our term in the position we hold.

Changes and improvements we help make in how our group operates will benefit those who follow us as leaders for years to come. The services we put in place to help the suffering addict, will impact their lives for decades. In Closing - Wrap Up Leadership is a unique experience that has many rewards. As leaders you both embody the values of those you serve, and yet at the same time help shape those values by modeling good leadership.

The personal rewards of taking on a leader role in NA are enormous and can be a major part of our continuing recovery.

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