Idea Bag

My Tip of the Week: Making the 2nd Semester a Success

January, it seems to me, can go one of two ways. Best case, your officers and key volunteers come back from the break refreshed and ready to go. You swing right into the new year and build on your successes from the fall. Or, and I think this is pretty common, you have a hard time recapturing that spirit and building momentum. The feeling is more like "back to the old grind" than "let's get rolling."

by Tim Sullivan

02/07/2016

My tip for this week, no matter which category your group falls into, is to take some time to think and reassess before jumping back into your normal active routine. Start by having a low-key social get-together with other leaders-a little bonding now can go a long way toward creating unity as you move into your busy schedule for the months ahead.

Assess your fall activities. Talk about what went right and how you can capitalize on them moving forward. And celebrate your successes-nothing is as motivating as feeling that you have accomplished something and can accomplish more.

Finally, take some time to review your plans for the next quarter and make sure everything is in place for success. Are there loose ends that can be tied up now rather than on deadline? Do you have enough volunteers, for example, or would it help to start recruiting now for future events?

For more on making the second semester a success, check out these articles on ptotoday.com:

11 Midyear Problems and Solutions
Beat the Midyear Volunteer Slump