The Jaycee Concept – The Leadership Process
The following is an adaptation of the Jaycee Triangle, modified to encompass all other areas of Jaycee operations, resulting in a graphic model of how Jaycees can work: This website breaks down the key components – ID, CD and Management. Attend a monthly Jaycees 101 to learn more (you don’t have to be a member to attend!)
The heart of Jaycees – the Triangle unfolded.
We start with the following model depicting the member, and the ID, CD and Management areas:
This is basically the Jaycee Triangle unfolded to show the sequential nature of the leadership training and personal development cycle. Leadership training and personal development are provided to the member through the ID area. The member is then encourage to gain leadership experience and confidence by running projects in the CD area (though the same experience can me gotten by running projects in other areas). All the while the management area continues to provide services vital to the chapter
The ID Area:
The Individual Development Area “ID” consists primarily of two areas:
Quality of life of members: Examples: personal improvement, family values, spiritual development, vocational skills, etc. In general, this area provides all other member development needs and wants apart from community service, leadership development and social needs. For example, those chapters that service cultural communities may focus on cultural education in this area.
Other specific examples include: self-defense, health & fitness, CPR / first aid, crime prevention, car care, and social skills and etiquette. How about “How to _______________” and you fill in the blank.
Leadership training: Examples: leadership, project management, financial management, time and stress management, public speaking, communications skills, and specific Jaycee chapter management tools or functions (CPG, plan of action). Also, networking; salesmanship; motivational skills or power to influence; governmental workings; business and marketing plans; and organization building.
How does your chapter know what ID seminars or workshops to put on? Through the use of the ID survey.
The Community Development Area:
Once armed with leadership training, the member is encouraged to apply such skills doing CD projects in the following areas:
Human Services, Community Improvement: Projects and activities that deal directly with people, such as youth and elderly assistance, mental health and retardation, health and safety, properties, economic development, energy, and environment.
Community Fundraising: Fundraising for programs that are not Jaycee managed, such as health-related organizations, foundations, or any organized community charities.
Government Involvement: Involvement with the local, state, and national governmental process. Projects and activities include town forums, debates, Get Out the Vote projects, advocacy issues, criminal justice, etc.
Community service needs are assessed through the community development survey. An important question to ask is what community does the chapter serve? This provides identity to the chapter, making it unique among all other chapters. Community service can be formed around geographic (Hawaii Kai, Manoa), cultural (Chinese, Filipino) and other interests.
The Leadership Process
This process of assessing the member’s development needs, providing training and knowledge, and encouraging the member to apply such training and knowledge in the CD area (or other areas) to provide confidence and ability is the leadership (or personal development) process.
What if you don’t want to be a leader? Then be a follower, join a committee to help someone else become a leader!
