An for Leadership Stress Workshop # 307 1 AYSO should be fun for everyone! 2 Who are AYSOs Leaders? Team Parents, Coaches, Referees, Division Coordinators, Regional Commissioners, Regional Board Members, Players and all other volunteers 3 You are a Leader Everyone in AYSO takes a turn being a leader. Leadership can be a heavy burden. Volunteer leadership can generate high levels of anxiety and stress. Lets identify and define leadership stress. 4 When leadership stress becomes overwhelming or you are feeling stressed... Reflection schedule some time to relax and reflect 5 In AYSO, what kinds of situations can cause stress? 6 Stress Triggers Examples Spectators yelling at referees Lack of field space Players who dont attend practice Not enough coaches or referees 7 More Stress Triggers Procrastination yours or someone else's Difficult parents Unresponsive Regional Board Members Volunteers who dont do their jobs Unbalanced team problems 8 Dealing with Stress Turn to the person on your right or left and name creative, practical or innovative methods you use to deal with or minimize stress before it happens. 9 Scenario 1: An RC talking to an RRA who is negative and has difficulty meeting deadlines. Scenario 2: A coach trying to convince a parent not to yell at the referees. Scenario 3: An RCA dealing with a coach who refuses to attend training. Give it a Try 10 Let us look at strategies to keep leadership stress under control 11 Identify high priority items first. Avoid spending too much time on less important items. Use calendaring skills to budget time for larger events. Develop a simple rating system to assess priorities. Prioritize 12 Clarity is Key S.M.A.R.T. goals keep volunteers motivated and energized. Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timely Write down your goals and regularly evaluate them. 13 Weed out those tasks that are not productive. To Do List Dont add to your to-do list without completing, removing and reducing items on your current list. 14 Social Media and Region Phone Consider having a business Facebook page or Twitter for announcements to your parents. If you have a Region voice mail set up, keep it up-to-date and cleared, with room for messages. A dedicated volunteer to distribute messages is extremely valuable! 15 Region Website Make sure your Region website is up-to-date. Player registration/VIP program/Extra/Club Costs/how to register - eAYSO link Key contact information Coach, team, practice time and location Volunteer points, referee points Playoff criteria and participation Refunds, uniform returns Next registration date/time/location! 16 Challenge is a key part of leadership; it helps us keep up our creativity and competitiveness. Remain Positive Thinking positively will do a lot to avert stress-producing anxiety. 17 Rules of Thumb for Successful Delegation Know what to delegate. Be picky with who you choose. Check for understanding. Allow for frequent progress reports. Support the volunteer. 18 Talk Out Tough Issues Sharing war stories can relieve unwanted tension. Keep your volunteer responsibilities in perspective. Try not to dump too many stress- related concerns on the home front. 19 If someone around you is causing you a lot of stress, stop and talk it over. Be Honest 20 Pull Out Tools from the AYSO Toolbox 21 Regional & Marketing Toolkit E-newsletters Manuals Webinars On-line courses Governing Documents AYSO.org and the RAP eAYSO Can Also Help Track registrations of both players and volunteers Maintain records of volunteer assignments and training Validate volunteer credentials Create training course rosters Build teams 22 More eAYSO Stress Relievers Assign access rights so volunteers can perform their duties Accept credit card payments Manage secondary programs Facilitate timely volunteer background checks (e-Signature) Track AYSO invoices and bank statements 23 What Qualities Define a Leader? 24 25 Team Parent(solves problems) Referee(settles interpersonal conflicts) Goalkeeper(ensures goals are met) Equipment Coordinator (finds and manages resources) Visionary(plans ahead) Firefighter(puts out everyday fires) Motivator Drill Sergeant (keeps group on track/calendars) Counselor Striker(risk taker, outside-the-box) Coach (patiently teaches fundamentals) Leadership Qualities Volunteer Leadership Qualities Role/Hat (brings out the best in people) (reports/helps with personnel issues) Stay Active What are some exercises you think would be effective? 26 Exercise is a great mechanism to control elements of leadership stress such as anger, frustration, mood swings and distraction. Playing AYSO soccer is a great way to exercise and relieve stress. Organize Yourself Clean up your desk/workspace. Sort and organize computer data files. Group or classify yourand cell phone contacts. 27 Dont overextend yourself! Balance your life with work, AYSO, family, friends and hobbies. Maintain a Balance What do you do for fun? 28 Control Contact Time Set hours to be on-the-job. Communicate these hours to your Regional Board Members. Stick to it - and train those around you to respect your off hours. 29 Have Fun! Humor makes our perspective more positive and helps us deal with challenges in a more constructive way. Laughter Connects us with others. Detracts focus from anger, guilt or stress. Is contagious and reduces stress levels. IT JUST MIGHT CATCH ON! 30 Stress is all around us but as we have discussed, there are lots of ways to deal with, minimize and even prevent it. Keep a smile on your face, keep organized and breathe! 31 Thank you! Workshop #207 32