MENTORING AND LEADERSHIP
 DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

 

 Purpose:  To encourage professional growth and development of new City Recorders through the OAMR Mentoring Program and to provide guidance and support to potential candidates for the OAMR Board of Directors through the OAMR Leadership Development Program.

Committee Membership:  The Committee should be primarily comprised of experienced OAMR members who are qualified and willing to act as a Mentor to new members and/or OAMR members who have held at least one position on the OAMR Board of Directors. Mentors should have a minimum of three years experience in the profession. Members who wish to serve as a guide in the OAMR Leadership Development Program should have served at least one full term on the OAMR Board of Directors.

General Responsibilities:

a.         The Committee will coordinate the Mentoring Program and the Leadership Development Program as further outlined herein.

b.         With Board approval, the Committee may take on any project that will serve to promote the mission of the Committee.

c.         The Committee will work in conjunction with other OAMR Committees such as the Education Committee, Professional Growth & Development Committee, and the Membership Committee to provide information and coordination of like projects.

d.         The Committee Chair will provide Newsletter articles regarding Committee activities.

e.         The Committee will meet as needed and whenever possible. Much of the communication between committee members will be done by telephone, e‑mail and/or fax.

f.          The Committee Chair will give a Committee Report at the Annual Conference Business Meeting or provide a written report to the President for presentation at the Annual Business Meeting.

OAMR MENTORING PROGRAM HOW TO:

Program Guidelines:  The Mentoring Program is designed to assist new City Recorders become more informed and comfortable with the duties and responsibilities of the profession and to educate them on the organizational make‑up of OAMR and benefits of membership. The Mentoring Program will provide new City Recorders (“Mentees”) with both formal and informal knowledge and support from experienced City Recorders (“Mentors”) who will serve as both teachers and coaches to assist the new City Recorders in their professional development.

Program Application:  Through the Mentoring Program, the Committee Chair will assign an experienced Recorder (“Mentor”) in a similar position, preferably from a similar sized city in close proximity to each new member of the organization (“Mentee”). Preference will be to assign a Committee Member in the same region as the new member. The Mentor will provide the new Recorder with professional resources and support, share both the formal and informal knowledge necessary to effectively and efficiently perform the duties of the position, and assist the new Recorder in reaching her/his personal and professional goals. The Mentor will give the new Recorder professional advice, support and assistance to help the new member become strong, self‑confident and self‑ sufficient in the administration of her/his duties. The Mentor may need to simply offer moral support and encouragement; or the Mentor could be called upon to instruct the Mentee how to properly draft agendas, minutes & ordinances; explain public meetings and records law, election laws and parliamentary procedures, or offer advice on how to deal with the media, etc.

Mentors will also encourage the new Recorder to participate in OAMR's educational programs and provide the Mentee with information about such opportunities. The Mentor will serve as a guide to the new Recorder at OAMR Regional Meetings, the Annual Conference, Academy Sessions and all other OAMR events. As such guide, the Mentor shall take the time to get to know the new Recorder on a more personal level, introduce the new member to other members and involve them in activities throughout the event. Prior to the annual conference or any OAMR event, the Mentor should advise the Mentee on such things as what is considered appropriate dress for the event and what types of activities will be held during the event (i.e. raffle sales, the auction, scholarship walk, all conference event, etc.). The Mentor should also arrange a time and place to meet with the new member once they arrive at the event and exchange room numbers if an over‑night stay is involved. The Mentor should strive to do everything possible to make the new member feel welcomed and comfortable in the OAMR environment. The Mentor should also be willing to continue serving the new member for as long as the new member feels the Mentor's assistance is needed.

Program Tasks:

a.         The Committee will work with the Membership Committee to receive information regarding any new members joining OAMR. The Committee Chair will send new members an introductory letter, welcoming them to OAMR, explaining the Mentoring Program and encouraging them to participate as a Mentee of the Program. The letter shall ask for a response to the question of participation as a Mentee. If the response is affirmative, the Chair shall then select a Mentor for the Mentee.

b.         The Committee Chair will work with Committee Members within the same OAMR Region as the new member to determine an appropriate Mentor for the new member. Committee Members shall be the first to volunteer to serve as the new member's Mentor until all Committee Members within a given region have been assigned Mentor responsibilities. The Committee Chair will then contact the Director of the new member's Region for a recommendation on whom within the Region would qualify as a Mentor. The Committee Chair shall then contact the member recommended by the Chair to confirm acceptance of assignment.

c.         The Committee Chair shall send a welcome message to the new member introducing them to their Mentor and advising them to expect the Mentor to be contacting them soon with a list of questions the Chair will use to form an introduction of the new member in the next OAMR Newsletter. The Committee Chair shall maintain a list of all new members and the Mentors assigned to them.

d.         Mentors will make contact with Mentees within 5 days of an assignment and obtain the information requested on the New Member Questionnaire as designed by the Chair to provide introductory information regarding the new member. The Mentor should attempt to schedule time to meet the new member in person on the soonest possible date (maybe just to have lunch & get to know each other a little). If this cannot be accomplished, the Mentor should contact the Mentee again within two weeks of the original contact to see how the Mentee is adjusting to the job & to see if she/he needs further assistance of any type.

e.         The Committee will organize and conduct a breakfast at the Annual Conference to honor new members in conjunction with the Mentor Program. Mentors will be responsible for making sure their Mentee is aware of the breakfast and plan to sit with them during the session. Both Mentees and Mentors will be publicly recognized at the meeting.

OAMR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

 Program Guidelines: The OAMR Leadership Development Program is designed to have experienced OAMR Leaders (members having served at least one full term on the OAMR Executive Board) provide guidance and support to other OAMR members seeking to run for election, or apply for appointment, to the OAMR Executive Board. Board Positions qualifying for the Program are those of Regional Director, Secretary, Treasurer and Second Vice‑President (which will lead to the Position of President).

Program Application:  Through the OAMR Leadership Development Program, those members of OAMR who have never before served on the OAMR Executive Board in a position which they are currently considering ("Potential Leader"), shall be linked with a member of the Committee ("Leader") who has served in the capacity the Potential Leader is interested in. Only those Committee Members who have served as OAMR President may "shadow" those seeking the position of Second Vice‑President.

The Leader will provide the Potential Leader with knowledge as to actual duties and responsibilities, time commitment, potential travel required, etc., of the Board Position the Potential Leader is seeking. The Leader may simply be required to enlighten the Potential Leader as to their personal experiences while serving in the Board Position being considered, or the Leader may be called upon to make personal contact with the Potential Leader's City Manager and/or Mayor and Council to explain the obligations of the Board Position being sought.

The Leader must be willing to continue providing support and assistance to the Potential Leader if she/he is elected or appointed to the Board Position being sought, throughout the term of such position.

Program Tasks:

a.         The Committee shall work with the Nominations Committee to obtain knowledge of anyone being nominated for, or volunteering for, a Board Position.

b.         The Committee Chair will submit Newsletter Articles soliciting Potential Leaders and encouraging them to request assistance through the Leadership Development Committee.

c.        When contacted by a Potential Leader, the Chair will determine if anyone on the Mentoring/Leadership Development Committee has served in the Board Position being considered by the Potential Leader. Every effort will be made to assign a Committee Member who has actually served in the position the Potential Leader is seeking. Except in the case of the position of Second Vice‑ President, if no one on the Committee has served in the position the Potential Leader is considering, assistance may be provided by a Committee Member who has served in another Board Position. If no one on the Committee has served as OAMR President, the Chair of the Committee shall solicit at least two OAMR Past President (who are not members of the Committee) to provide support and encouragement to the Potential Leader seeking that position.

 d.       The Leader shall assist the Potential Leader in the preparation of the Board Candidate Presentation that will be given before the OAMR membership prior to the election conducted during the annual conference.

 e.         If the Potential Leader is elected to the Executive Board, the Leadership Development Committee Member shall continue to offer the new Board Member support and assistance throughout her/his term on the Board.