Leadership and Officer Roles
Recruiting Neighborhood Association Leadership
Part of the job of a neighborhood organizer is to identify and develop neighborhood leaders. People in leadership positions are responsible for coordinating the activities of a group, including activities designed to help the groups achieve goals and feel good about working together.
A leadership position within a neighborhood association is a serious commitment. A leader impacts the association and the neighborhood. A neighborhood leader needs to have the vision and the ability to build consensus, to delegate duties and authority to others and to encourage neighbor involvement and maximize talent. A leader helps the association cultivate future leaders. A good leader recognizes the value in changing leadership.
The task of recruiting and developing leaders should be an ongoing activity for all members of the neighborhood association. Sometimes leaders are reluctant to share authority or delegate responsibility. Part of being a good leader is helping others grow into leadership roles.
Developing Neighborhood Association Leaders
- Search for many potential leaders, not just one or two.
- Encourage people to switch tasks and discover their strengths.
- Remind members to be open to change and bring in
- new members and leaders.
- Encourage people to communicate in a positive and productive manner.
- Delegate responsibility. Match members’ personal needs with the needs of the group.
- Break big jobs into small parts and assign to different people.
- Focus on goals and achievements, not personalities.
What are the duties and responsibilities of association officers?
President
- Chief executive officer of the association.
- Assumes general charge of the day-to-day administration of the association.
- Presides at all meetings.
- Reserves the authority to authorize specific actions in promoting the board’s policies.
Vice President
- Performs the duties of the president in the absence of the president.
- Serves on the association’s executive committee.
- Coordinates with the committee chairman or chairwoman and reports the status to the board.
- Assumes duties as defined by the president.
Secretary
- Maintains the association’s records.
- Takes minutes of meetings and keeps a permanent, accurate record.
- Prepares written minutes for the board of directors and reads the minutes at meetings.
- Receives and handles all correspondence addressed to the association.
Treasurer
- Keeps accounts of all expenses, upon authorization of the board.
- Collects membership dues.
- Presents a written report each month to the board of directors and/or association.
Inclusion in Your Neighborhood Association
Neighborhood associations work best when they reflect the full diversity of the communities they serve. Every resident should feel welcome, informed and empowered to participate.
Take time to identify and understand who lives in your neighborhood using online Census data, then consider outreach methods that meet people where they are.
Questions to Ask
- Who’s missing from the table?
- Are renters represented?
- Do we have multilingual residents who need translated materials?
- Are we reaching young adults, families with children and seniors?
- Is this the best time and place for a meeting?
Ideas
- Offer coloring or children’s activities during the meeting
- Provide virtual attendance options
- Rotate between socials and formal meeting months
- Hold occasional outdoor or informal gatherings to increase comfort and visibility
- Designate a “greeter” to welcome new attendees
- Host a newcomer event
- Ask quieter neighbors for input through surveys or one-on-one conversations
- Rotate leadership roles
How to Establish Committees
Establish Committees
Neighborhood associations work best when the work is divided among members who sit on committees. The core group should define the goals and objectives of the committees and decide the rules members will follow.
A standing committee is a permanent ongoing working committee that may be outlined in the association’s bylaws. The goals of the association will help determine what kind and how many committees to create.
Examples of Designated Committees:
- Beautification Committee
- Publicity Committee
- Youth Involvement Committee
- Government Liaisons
- Crime Reduction Committee
- Welcoming Committee
- Neighborhood Events Committee
- Business Liaisons
Serving as a committee chair or a member is a great way to ease into an association leadership role. Committees help share the workload for the association and enable members to get involved in issues and projects that they are passionate about. It is not the role of the association officers and board members to do all the work of the association; the committees are the workhorse of the association.