Murphy Will Help You Grow
Do you dread meeting up with one of Murphy’s laws? “What can go wrong, will” is one of Murphy’s laws. Is Murphy a regular attendee at your Grange? If so, you have the opportunity to grow as a leader. Running into one of Murphy’s laws is not a bad thing for you.
The first thing Murphy teaches is that you must plan thoroughly. Build a team and have every member looking at what needs to happen to get to the desired result. Let them anticipate problems and prepare for them. When members build the plan together, they increase the chance that they will be successful.
The second thing that Murphy teaches is that as a leader you must be flexible and be ready to adapt. Murphy shows us that you cannot have a plan that is perfect. If nothing else, you might be too successful and be unprepared for the amount of people showing up. When something doesn’t go according to plan, you must change and adapt to get things back on track.
Remember that Murphy is there to teach and become a better leader in your Grange!


BECOME A COLLECTOR
The best way to judge a leader’s success is to observe what the organization achieves under their guidance. If you want to become a great leader, your goal must be to have a great Grange. To move toward this goal, you should become a collector. Your collection will include ideas, methods, skills and stories.
Collect ideas that other Granges and other organizations have tried. No matter what their success, file these ideas away so that if a need arises you have suggestions. Also, collect leadership methods and skills. Make it a point to learn from every leader you work for or with. Sometimes the things you learn not to do are just as important as the things you need to do.
Include stories about successes in your collection. Take the time to understand what someone else did and what the result was. If you can find out why it worked, it becomes even better for you. The reason to collect stories is that they are the best way to make an emotional connection with your team and to share information that they need. No one likes lectures, but a story can teach without being threatening.
Become a collector and become a better leader in your Grange!


Elect Leaders For Their Goals
Being a leader in the Grange includes knowing who to support for elected office in your Grange. Always try to determine why does that member want to hold that office. Is it a positive reason such as wanting to aid the organization or to eliminate dissension among the members? Do they have a vision of where they want to see the Grange going? Question why someone would want to be Master but not have a goal beyond election.
You must never campaign for or against any member as that is against the rules and principles of our Grange. Remember, it is your right to encourage others to accept opportunities and to mentor fellow members. The other side is that you also should never allow others to campaign in the Grange either. If you find a member campaigning, educate them about the rules and principles of the Grange.
In an ideal Grange the office would always seek the member rather than the member seeking the office. However members being people, we have to contend with ambition, jealousies, and differences among each other. When electing leaders in your Grange always look for what their goals are. Only leaders who are trying to grow the Grange will lead you to success.
Elect leaders for their goals for your Grange and you will become a better leader!