By Nancy Halvorson, LWVWA Membership Portfolio Director

In Star Trek, a “mind meld” is a kind of telepathic touch that enables the rapid sharing of knowledge and experience. Unfortunately for (at least most of) us, we are neither telepathic nor within touching distance of each other, so we have created a MELD Network* to provide a mechanism to better share tools, methods, practices, and accomplishments across the state with each other.

The “League Mind MELD” column is a way to share even more information to all our members across the state. This column will run each month and will include the responses we receive to the questions posed at the end of the previous month’s column.

The League Mind MELD

This month, the MELD focus is on "L&D" (leadership and development). Effective leadership is critical, but not everyone is comfortable with words like Leader or Leadership. This can be a potential block—because words matter! Perhaps working with different terminology can help. Instead, think in terms like, Mentor, Guide, Helper, Facilitator, Responsible Party, Conductor, or Influencer.

Some folks are very good in these roles. What do you notice about those individuals in these roles? What draws you to them and encourages you to be part of what they are doing? We all know a good guide when we encounter one—to learn from them, we just need to break down what it is we're picking up on.

Leadership can be approached in different ways—you can facilitate singly or in partnership with others. Leagues in Washington are using a number of different leadership styles/models to ensure League activities operate smoothly. While there is no one right way to lead, there are some key points to being an effective leader:

• Listening is # 1: Listening is most important. What are the needs and concerns of the group? What are the most important tasks to be worked on? Good leaders listen to what their teams have to say in these matters.

• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate: A good leader will recognize the work of their team and make it clear they care. It is also important to share what is going on in the organization—and share regularly!

• Ask and Delegate: Asking others for help shows them that you appreciate them and believe in their skills and talents. Plus, when others step up to help in ANY way, they are likely to take ownership and responsibility for the success of the activity or event.

• Participate: This one is for all of us! As Lunell Haught is known to say: "It is important for us to rise above our capacity. The League is not a sit-down dinner and you get to be served. This is a potluck where we all bring something to the table."

There have been requests to have a workshop/panel/exercises on leadership and development at the LWVWA Convention in June 2025. Other requests include a League/member 101 model for local Leagues to adapt to their particular League. We welcome your suggestions! Please share them.

Reminder: Be sure to sign up for the Canva/social media workshop! The workshop will be held on January 22, 2025 at 4 PM via Zoom. Attendees will learn tips and tools for your personal and League use. There will be templates and League branding for presentations and social media posts, as well as LWVWA resources and more!

The Month's Questions

Last month, we asked "what are you grateful for?" The responses from Katherine Murphy were well said and reflect the vast majority of those we received:

• "I am thankful to live in the state of Washington because we currently have more freedom here than in other states, and because we are more climate conscious."
  
  
• "I am thankful for the hundreds of thousands of people who GOTV!"
  
  
• "I am thankful for League friends."

January's Question: How do YOU identify an effective facilitator?

Please share your responses—or any questions—with Nancy Halvorson, Membership Portfolio Director

*In the context of the League, MELD actually has zero connection to Star Trek; it is an acronym for Membership, Engagement, Leadership, and Development. MELD pods meet each month to serve as platforms for sharing successes, addressing challenges, and exchanging ideas among local Leagues. Are you interested in learning more about MELD? Talk to your Local League Leadership about becoming involved in MELD.