by Nicole Brown

For four days, Lions across the U.S. and Canada came together to focus on developing their leadership skills while exchanging ideas to strengthen their clubs. In October, 41 men and women from 23 states and four provinces attended the Emerging Lions Leadership Institute in Oak Brook, Illinois. Participants took part in interactive courses on numerous topics, and between sessions and during meals Lions had additional opportunities to exchange ideas and discuss new techniques to take back to their own club.

Emerging Lions Leadership Institutes, along with Senior Lions Leadership Institutes, were developed by the Leadership Division to focus on building the skills of Lions members to prepare them for leadership roles either at the club or district level. To attend the Emerging Institute, participants must apply, be a Lion for no more than eight years and cannot yet have held the position of club president. Senior Institutes are for those Lions who have completed a successful term as club president but have not yet attained the position of vice district governor.

Focused Leadership Training
Courses focus on member motivation, goal setting, public speaking, working in teams, conducting effective meetings, mentoring and communication—life skills that can be applied to both Lions and career life. Lions also learn conflict resolution and how to deal with challenges within the club or district. During the Working in Teams course at the Oak Brook Emerging Institute, participants took part in a hands-on team building exercise. “We worked well together and had fun doing it,” said Debbie Bennett, a member of the Avoca Lions Club in Nebraska. Lions also learned the stages of team development, successful communication and commitment.
The course format allows Lions to participate in a relaxed setting while having fun. The group discussions and group projects allow Lions to share ideas that work and those that don’t. Thomas Yager, a member of the Hampton-Mercury, Virginia, Lions Club said the institute allows Lions to get a different perspective on accomplishing the same goal. The institute is also an opportunity to learn more about the history of Lions Clubs International, the structure of our association and the value of meaningful club meetings and inductions.

“If I’m going to be in a leadership role, I want to be able to strengthen my club; the more I know, the better equipped I am to do that,” said Victor Dunham of the Ruidoso Valley Noon Lions Club in New Mexico. Dunham was invited to join the 55-member club two years ago. Although he has been a Lion only a short time, he already has his sights set on club president. As the third vice president, he believes the institute is vital to his ability to succeed during his term as future club president. “In order to bring in new people to the club and effectively teach them, I must know as much as possible.”

Faculty teams for the institutes are comprised of Lions leaders from the constitutional area where the institute is being conducted, and they are chosen based upon their knowledge of Lionism, interactive presentation skills and passion for Lions. “The participants have as much to give us as we have to give them,” said Wilsonburg, West Virginia, Lion PDG Jim Canon. He taught two topics he is passionate about during the Oak Brook Emerging Institute because he believes in the importance of focusing on leadership development, he said. “If Lions are that eager to step up, I want to be a part of that. I believe good leaders can solve our retention and membership problems.” He continued, “I’m here because I really saw the need to focus on leadership issues, and I wanted to be a part of the membership growth movement.”

Applied Lessons
As a result of attending the institute, Nancy Allen, a member of the Oxford, Pennsylvania, Lions Club hopes to help her club sponsor a Leo club and Laurene Homsher from the Fremont, Michigan, Lions Club feels she will now be more comfortable and efficient while facilitating state institutes. Julianne Zody of the Perrysville, Ohio, Lions Club has set her sights on becoming the district’s first female governor.

Likewise, Chantal Burtt, a member of the Scarborough Cedarbrae Golden Mile Lions Club in Ontario, Canada, has set new goals for herself. “I never used to want to be club president, but now I want to be president, then zone chair, then region chair and district governor. I originally attended so I could better assist my husband (VDG Paul Baker) during his term as district governor next year, but I see so many things that I could change or improve within my club and district.” She plans to attend a future Senior Lions Leadership to prepare her for the role of district governor. Burtt is now the fifth member of her club to complete an institute.

For Burtt, watching her roommate at the institute develop over the four days into a confident, outgoing Lion was icing on the cake. Her roommate is both hearing impaired and clinically blind and having been a Lion for only a year, she quickly took over as club president as the result of extenuating circumstances. Knowing little about Lions and lacking the confidence to lead her club, the institute provided those skills. “I think we would’ve eventually lost her as a Lion had she not attended this institute. It’s amazing to see the difference four days really made,” Burtt observed.

Baker, Burtt’s husband, attended the Senior Institute in Portland, Oregon, three years ago. “If every Lion could attend, I believe our membership numbers would be double,” he said. “The institutes teach how to apply yourself and build confidence for chairing and leading specific projects. I am a better Lion for it.” Baker directly attributes his attendance at the institute with becoming vice district governor and the 2006-2007 district governor. “The instructors were awesome, and the method of teaching is second to none. I wouldn’t change a thing about the institutes.”

A group of nine participants at the Portland institute have stayed in close contact via e-mail and by reconnecting at forums and conventions. At the USA/Canada Forum in Peoria, Illinois, in September, the group of nine participants organized an impromptu reunion that included several of the instructors. All nine Lions are currently VDGs or DGs. “We firmly renewed our friendships as a team that had the same goals, and we’re planning a reunion during the convention in Boston,” Baker said.

These sentiments were echoed at the Senior Institute in Sendai, Japan, in October. Lions believed the training was an excellent opportunity to think outside of the box and improve upon local leadership to develop new means for membership growth and retention. Lions commented that the training is practical and can be easily applied to strengthen clubs or improve clubs that are struggling.

Make Plans Now to Attend
As a result of increased demand, the number of institutes held each year was recently increased; a total of six Senior and six Emerging Institutes are now held each year. Several factors are considered when determining the institute location such as central locations for ease of access when traveling and new locations where institutes have not previously been held to enable new Lions to participate. The classes at each institute worldwide are the same but are conducted in different languages.

Lions may only apply for the institute in their constitutional area and must be in good standing. Applications are available online four months prior to the institute or can be obtained from the district governor and must be submitted by the deadline date (typically one to two months prior to the institute) to be considered. The application form includes a nomination form that must be completed by a specified officer of the club or district. Due to the volume of applications, acceptance to the institute is not guaranteed. More than one participant per district is allowed only on a space available basis. Lions Clubs International pays for each participant’s meals, lodging and class materials during the days of the institute; the only cost to each participant is for transportation and travel-related expenses to and from the training facility.

For more information or to apply for a Senior or Emerging Lions Leadership Institute, click here or telephone the Institutes and Seminars Department at International Headquarters at 630-571-5466, ext. 597.