If you are planning a f?te, a church social, a street party, a fund-raising event or something like that, you will of course like it to be a success. In order for it to become successful, you will need to have plenty going on, so you will need collaborators to help you organize and run chunks of the whole event.
For example, you will require someone to liaise with the stallholders, someone to liaise with the caterers, the bar, the stage, security, et cetera, et cetera and in all probability you will sit in the centre of the web holding everything together, soothing tattered nerves and offering advice. For this to work well you will need a team and the first part of your task will be to build that team and motivate it.
1] The first thing to do is work out how many people you will require – one for every major role. You may require five or seven lieutenants and they have to be competent, trustworthy and honest. They can be friends but they can also become friends.
2] These officers might also need a few sergeants and you may have to help select these members of staff as well. Once you have your team, make certain that everyone knows his or her task and also knows how to do it. Remain approachable at all times. Be careful to not be intimidating to younger members. Attempt to build a camaraderie.
3] Do not be seen to only talk to your officers, make a point of talking to helpers on all levels and learn as many names as you can. Hold get-togethers to plan details of the event and let every person have their say.
4] Make it clear that the final judgment is yours but that up to that point everyone’s opinion is valid. If there are arguments between departments, say catering and cleaning, listen to both sides carefully and have all your officers vote on the conclusion if you like.
5] Keep your finance officer and legal adviser close to you and listen to them fastidiously. If your legal officer says that you require criminal record checks on potential helpers, do it. Let everyone see that they are part of a team that is trying to become as professional as it can be – it will make them proud to be a part of it.
6] One extra, very convenient person to have on the team, is like a minister without portfolio. A Mr. Fixit – someone who knows everyone and where he can get his hands on anything at a moment’s notice. This person will prove indispensable if things go wrong as they surely will.
Your team is your guarantee of success and you are the one that has to turn a group of amateurs and individuals into a professional team capable of staging an event that will give people pleasure, raise money and have people waiting impatiently for the next one and the way that you do this is known as team building – some have it intuitively and others have to learn it.
Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a variety of topics, but is now involved with team building activities for teenagers. If you would like to know more, please go to our web site at Small Team Building Activities
Holidays And Holy Days In The USA
Congress and the president have designated ten days as federal holidays. Being ‘federal’, these holidays theoretically only pertain to federal employees and residents of the District of Columbia, although they are so widely observed that they can be thought of as national holidays.
Officially, it is up to each individual state to select public holidays. If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Friday before or the Monday following is given in lieu to make a long weekend.
New Year’s Day (January 1) – celebrating the New Year dates back to pre-Christian times, when rites were performed to try to ensure the return of Spring.
Martin Luther King Jnr. Day (third Monday in January) – before he was shot dead in 1968, Martin Luther King Jnr. was the foremost civil rights leader of the 1950’s and 1960’s. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Congress set this day aside to celebrate his life and achievements in 1983.
Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February) – originally it was celebrated on Washington’s actual birthday, the 22nd of February, but it was moved in 1971 to make a long weekend. It is occasionally known as Presidents’ Day, because it is close to Lincoln’s birthday on the 12th February.
Memorial Day (last Monday in May) – also known as Decoration Day, it honours soldiers fallen in battle.It originates from the Civil War and is customarily marked by parades and services.
Independence Day (4th July) – this, the most important US holiday, marks the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. It was first commemorated in 1777 and is marked by fireworks, parades and speeches.
Labor Day (first Monday in September) – this, the suggestion of Peter J. McGuire, the president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, was taken up in 1894 to celebrate American workers.
Columbus Day (second Monday in October) – Christopher Columbus and his crew landed in the Bahamas on Oct 12th 1492. It was first celebrated in 1792, although it was not officially adopted until 1909. It is a source of special pride to Italian-Americans, who claim the Genoan voyager as their own.
Veterans Day (Nov 11th) – or Armistice Day commemorates the end of the First World War on Nov 11th 1918. It was made a legal holiday in 1938, but its name was changed in 1954 to honour all American veteran soldiers.
Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) – it was first commemorated in Plymouth County, Massachusetts in 1621, the year in which the Pilgrims landed in the New World to give thanks for the new harvest and the new land they had colonized. President Lincoln proclaimed it a holiday in 1863.
Christmas Day (December 25th) – Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Franklin Covey planner refillss If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars