The Role of the Lieutenant Governor Optimist International

THE ROLE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR The Lieutenant Governor is an administrative arm of the District. A Lieutenant Governor’s leadership and administrative skills determines the success of the zone. A Lieutenant Governor is in essence the Governor of their respective Zone.

THE ROLE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PRIMARY ROLE Help Club Presidents and their Clubs: Successful Club Presidents and Clubs add value to the Club member’s volunteer experience • A valuable volunteer experience results in quality service projects and programs, retained membership, growth in membership, and an increase in club’s, zone’s, district’s and Optimist International’s Leadership pool.

THE ROLE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR The Lieutenant Governor’s Leadership Role: Have a positive and optimistic attitude Be a good listener Be a motivator Be an example – Walk the Talk Be a PAT (Proactive Action Taker) Be Dependable Be Accountable Communicate, Communicate, Communicate Promote growth Be empathetic Be a servant leader • Listening determines more than any other factor, the quality of your communications and thus your success as a leader Listening is an essential part of communication and listening is very different from hearing. Being a good and patient listener will help you solve problems and see the world through the eyes of your club presidents. It will enrich your understanding and expands your capacity for empathy. As simple as listening (and acknowledging) may seem, doing it well particularly when disagreements arise, takes sincere effort and lots of practice. • If you want to be a great leader, a great Lieutenant Governor, you’ve got to get an attitude. As a matter of fact you need to develop three attitudes: - The first is an attitude of a contagious, upbeat outlook. A person exhibiting these types of characteristics are positive, approachable, and cooperative. - The second attitude is a can-do spirit. A person with this mind set makes things happen. - Finally you’ve got to have an attitude of gratitude. Show the people around you that you appreciate them and the opportunities you’ve been given. • You have got to lead by example, or in the words of leadership guru John Maxwell, “You’ve got to know the way, go the way and show the way. You don’t lead by pointing and telling people to go the way. You lead by telling them to follow you. • Identify ahead of time the actions (tasks) that you are going to take. Although there is at times a need to remain flexible for unexpected occurrences, this approach is to what actions are going to be taken. • Accountability is first and foremost about being reliable. People can count on you to do what you say you will do. • Be able to understand the kind of problems your club presidents are having. Be sensitive to their feelings, emotions, and experiences. You have to learn to put yourself in their shoes • A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the organizations to which they belong. While traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of the pyramid,” servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible. 


THE ROLE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR The Lieutenant Governor’s Administrative and Managerial Role: Be a liaison between the District Governor and Clubs Visit each Club at the beginning of the year to review the Honor Club Tracking form for each club in your zone Install Club officers Prepare and submit reports Be involved in building a new Club Encourage Club participation in the Optimist International and District recognition program Be an information resource