Week 6: Leadership in an Organization: Responsibilities

To be in any leadership position, one must be able to carry out their responsibilities effectively while being able to collaborate with others. Specialization of labor in the workplace is a key part of increasing efficiency, allowing different individuals to take on tasks best suited to their skill sets. NFTY regions have a varying number of regional board positions, but all regions have six specific positions and a regional advisor. 

All board members must follow a series of guidelines and are endowed with a certain set of responsibilities that are non-specific to position.

1. To attend all NFTY-SW Regional Board meetings.

2. To attend all NFTY-SW Regional events.

While they are unpaid, board members are obligated to participate in all event planning and all events, especially in order to keep their jobs as board members.

3. To submit registration for events on time, and to meet all programming deadlines.

Just like in any business, there are deadlines where work needs to be done by in order for the organization to function. While in a corporation these deadlines may take the form of project pitches, research papers, idea proposals, or sales quotas, a NFTY region has deadlines for program pitches and submissions, registration quotas, and idea proposals for certain aspects of events.

4. To communicate with the Regional Advisor and the Regional Board on a regular basis.

Communication is key, regional board members are cogs in the machine that is their region. The five vice-presidents have direct communication with the regional president, who in turn stays in direct communication with the regional advisor.

5. To communicate with all TYGs in NFTY-SW.

Temple Youth Groups are the smaller congregations of youth that make up each region. Constant communication with TYGs encourages greater participation on the regional level. Effective outreach to potential consumers is essential in marketing a product. TYGs serve as a a sample of the product we serve in regional events, and constant contact with TYGs serves as a marketing strategy to encourage members to participate on the regional level.

6. To encourage attendance at NFTY-SW Regional events.

As stated previously, it is the responsibility of all board members to market the product that is the upcoming regional event. All members of a organization are expected to promote their organization.

7. To help ensure that the B’rit Kehillah is followed at Regional Events

The B’rit Kehilah is similar to a “Terms and Conditions” agreement. Prior to events, participants and board members sign a contract that says they will follow a set of rules at events, for example, drugs and alcohol are prohibited at events. When a consumer agrees to the Terms and Conditions of a service that a company provides (regardless of whether or not they read it), they are now held responsible and can be reprimanded if the terms are violated.

8. To serve as role models for all members of NFTY on a local, regional, and North American level, and to appropriately represent NFTY-SW to others.

All employees at a company are expected to represent their company to the best of their ability. That is no different across all NFTY regions. As members of NFTY-SW, the board is expected to always be on their best behavior, serving as guides and mentors for their region, along with being proud representatives of the region on the national level.

9. To work to create and strengthen the Southwest Jewish youth community

This is a moral desire of our organization. Many (but certainly not all) organizations stand for a cause. One of NFTY-SW’s causes is strengthening the Jewish community within the region, empowering more youth by getting them involved in the social and leadership opportunities NFTY has to offer.

10. To strengthen and develop leadership within the Region.

While generation leadership in real-world organizations can take place over decades, the transition of power within a NFTY region is annual. That is why it is essential board members do their best to help aspiring youth mold their leadership abilities so they can be better prepared to lead as the future leaders of their region. This learning process occurs everywhere, but is certainly much more expedited in NFTY when comparing four years to a lifetime in the workforce. 

11. To serve as a liaison between youth and adult leadership.

Within a region, each TYG has an advisor, and there is one regional advisor. The many TYG advisors are similar to branch managers, overseeing their respective TYG boards, who serve the members of their TYGs. This works the same for the regional advisor who works as the manager of the regional board, who serve the members of the region. Board members on all levels work to provide youth run events and activities under a reasonable amount of adult supervision.

12. To support other board members.

All members of an organization must support each other in order for the organization to thrive.

13. To attend NFTY's Mechina and NFTY Veida and serve as a representative of NFTY-SW.

Each regional board member is obligated to attend two national events on behalf of their region. During Mechina and Veida (which alternates with NFTY Convention each year), regional board members serve as representatives of their respective regions in the Asefah legislation process which was discussed earlier in this blog. They also are responsible for voting in yearly North American Board elections, similar to how a board of directors in a business may function, selecting a CEO on the behalf of the shareholders’ interests.