And now for something completely different....

I was working on another school project tonight and began thinking about different managers that interested me.  Brett Wilson from the Dragons' Den on CBC was one of the managers that came to mind.  I really liked how he made his deals with integrity and awareness.  From the episodes I watched, he was honest, fair and kind.

Anyways, I found his website and have become quite fascinated with it.  (http://www.wbrettwilson.ca/#/).  It is very creative and beautifully put together (make sure you throw the ball for the dog and read about the significance of both of them). 

I found the following quote on his page and it seems to fit with the Leadership theme that I started tonight with my previous post.

And boy oh boy, have I learned!

Welcome to the Circus

We all do it - juggle our time in order to make things fit.  I didn't realise how much I need to juggle my time at this time of year with the Holidays fast approaching and THE busiest time of year for my small business, working full time, children AND school, volunteering, etc.  Its no wonder I don't sleep.

I will be honest - I had fallen into a chaotic mess for a couple of weeks and I am still trying to untangle it.  From this mess, I have learned the following lessons:

1.  Prioritize - create a list with everything to be done and do the things you can do now - crossing things off can be therapeutic;

2.  Stop procrastinating - stop putting things off until the last minute and as Nike says "Just do it!";

3.  Ask for help - this is not a weakness and it helps to keep you sane.  When you are over your head, a helping hand can give you those few moments to breathe and move forward;

4.  Think positive - negative in = negative out and positive in = positive out.  Telling yourself you can do this will get you further than worrying about the small things; and

5.  Take time for yourself (even if it is a whole evening) - sometimes you need to be the priority and when you are busy doing everything else, you tend to forget about taking care of YOU.

Here's to learning and moving forward!

Missed Meeting :(

Here comes the Stomach Flu - I was hit by it on October 18 and it kept me at home all day and night.
I ended up meeting the board meeting that was set up that night; however, I did submit my Halloween proposal to the President to present.  I found out today (October 21) that the board accepted my proposal for the Haunted House where they are going to promote awareness of the Humane Society as well as how they raise funds in the community.

I have also been discussing with the President the quote for printing.  We had discussed this at our impromptu meeting where it was identified that there is no formal membership card, folders for adoptions, etc.  We also discussed the potential of having calendars printed and sold at Christmas in order to fundraise and create further awareness in the community.  I am working on getting a second quote for this and hopefully will have it this week.

Things have been moving so fast in the past couple weeks it makes my head spin.

My plan for the next couple of weeks will include the following:

• Finishing up the printing quote.
• Obtaining a copy of the draft Business Plan.
• Working on the Business Plan.
• Researching some funding options for the Humane Society.
• Contacting other Humane Societies in Alberta to see if we can tour the facility and maybe obtain some mentorship for expansion.
• Keeping my blog up to date ;)

Impromptu Meetings No. 2

October 11, 2012
I came home the night before excited about the society and what more I could do to assist them.  I discussed this with my family who reminded me of my cousin who had composed a song about not forgetting your pets on Halloween.  It spawned an idea for me for what the society could do for Halloween and how to promote more awareness for the society.  The video that inspired me is below:

I spoke with my cousin who is featured in the video and she provided permission for the society to use the video to help with a Halloween promotion.  I texted the President that evening and asked if we could get together the following night to discuss the idea that was forming in my mind.

I met with the President on October 11, 2012 and outlined the idea.  She requested that I put together a proposal for the next board meeting.  In addition to this idea, we discussed getting a copy of the business plan that had been drafted as well as some other ideas I had regarding printing, Christmas promotions, etc.

Even though these side projects are not part of the main project that I am working on for the society, it is still exciting to be a part of the society and see ways that I can help with the talents I have.

Impromptu Meetings

The first membership meeting I attended on October 3rd gave me a feel for how the society is currently running.  There appeared to be a wedge driven between some of the members and the board.  I have to applaud the board on going back to their bylaws and providing information to the membership regarding issues they had brought forward.  It was done in a fair and professional manner.

My friend and I decided to go out to a local pub for wings on October 10 and ended up running into some of the other board members from the Humane Society.  We had a great time getting to know each other socially and to also discuss some of the other underlying issues that the society faces.  I spoke further with one of the board members who had been working on a draft of the business plan that appeared to have stalled.  We discussed getting access for me to the document that has been drafted and the President and Treasurer have indicated that they will be available for any questions I may have of them in the future while compiling the business plan.

One thing I have noticed with the society is that people help out where ever required even if it means that it is not their specialty.  The love for the animals and the passion for what they are doing seems to drive them and not once have I overtly heard someone say: "that's not in my job description".

Finding a project

So when I initially read over the assignment, I was excited for what opportunities could lay ahead of me.  Basically, the project is about developing my leadership skills by volunteering in a leadership role and designing and implementing a new service idea.

I was excited to begin and the first place I thought of was the daycare my son currently attends.  In the parent handbook, there is indication of volunteer hours required throughout the year.  I thought that a volunteer coordinator would be a great opportunity for me to work on my leadership role.  I approached the daycare, discussed with the director and also provided a basic outline of what I was proposing.  Unfortunately, time passed and I did not receive any input or further conversation regarding my proposal so I moved on to "Plan B".

The second project I was thinking of working on was researching a new location for the Farmers' Market in my community and creating a marketing plan.  I am a crafter and I participate in the Farmers' Market as often as I can.  Over the years, I have noticed that changes to the date, location, management, etc. have impacted everyone's business at the market.  I put together a proposal and presented it to the Market Manager as well as the President.  I did not receive any feedback and decided to approach them to discuss at a market.  I was told that they had something else in the works and would not require my assistance.

(Third time's a charm right?)  During this whole time I had discussed this project requirement with my friend who volunteers as the Treasurer with the Drumheller and District Humane Society.  She identified a couple of board positions that were available; specifically the Events and Membership Coordinator positions.  Through further discussions with my friend, she identified the need for a business plan in order for them to look at other funding options.  I was introduced to the President of the Humane Society who was became excited about what I was offering to do for their society and invited me to the membership meeting held the following night.  I signed up for a membership and haven't looked back since.  Being a part of this society has ignited a new passion in me and I can't wait to learn leadership skills while helping a society that is so focused on the animals in our community.