District Commander 10 Point Success Guide Goals A Goal without a plan is just a Wish Discussions Discussions are always better than arguments, Because an argument is to Find out who is right and a discussion Is to find out what is right.

District Commander 10 Point Success Guide One Don’t expect what you don’t inspect Meeting Minutes Tax Forms Finance Reports Membership Activities Programs Two Build Relationships Know your Post Officers Add value when you visit Communicate Regularly Respond Immediately Catch the Post Officers doing something positive Don’t expect what you don’t inspect. Review meeting minutes, tax forms, finance reports, membership activities and programs from each post within the district. If you’re not assessing the posts (in your district), or providing guidance to the posts, don’t expect anything other than what they do.” Build relationships with the Post. Know who the post officers are, add value when you visit, communicate regularly and reinforce what the post is doing well.

District Commander 10 Point Success Guide Three Cast a District Vision Set realistic goals Know your timeline Understand the individual Post priorities Outline your priorities Align the vision Four Plan, Evaluate and Plan Again Document your 5 year plan Communicate the Plan Execute on the Plan Re-adjust the plan when needed Measure, report and reward success Cast a district vision. Set realistic goals for each post, understand the individual posts priorities and align you priorities with theirs Plan, evaluate and plan again. Communicate and execute the departments five year strategic membership plan.

District Commander 10 Point Success Guide Five Share Information Jr Vice Commanders should report on Post activities Steal Ideas shamelessly and share with other Posts Establish email chains and only pass on information only after you comment Update and use CallingPost.org Bad news does not get better with age Six Participate in Community Events Schedule time to attend important community events Allow the Post Commander to identify your role at the event Praise the Post in front of the Community Be available for Media Make a photo op with the Post Share information. If it’s a good idea for one post, it’s probably a good idea for multiple posts. Callingpost.org is a six cent per minute phone calling software that instantly creates a digital voice-file of your message, and automatically places all calls at once. A message can be up to 70 seconds in length and can be recorded by phone or on the web. Participate in community events. Make time to attend important events, have the post commander identify role at event, and praise the post in front of the community.

District Commander 10 Point Success Guide Seven Train Constantly update and train the District Officers Identify Post weaknesses and provide training in that area by District SME’s Recognize potential and create opportunities for up and coming Legionnaires Engage State Officers to assist Teach the History of the American Legion Eight Remove Barriers Listen and understand the problems Allow the Post to come up with solutions Provide the Post with your solution Act on the solution Follow up to see if the issue was resolved Train, educate. Update and train district officer, identify post weaknesses and provide training in that area, recognize potential leaders, and teach the history of The American Legion. Remove barriers. Listen to what’s causing posts from meeting their vision, allow post to come up with solutions, provide the post with your solution, and follow up to see if the issue was resolved. When help solve problems at the post level, you’ve created confidence in post leadership.

District Commander 10 Point Success Guide Nine Program Implementation Know your deadlines Select Committee Chairs based on skillsets and motivation Assist the Posts to select programs based on their capabilities Engage State Officers to assist Recognize Posts and members for their participation Ten Membership Engagement Have professional meetings Become fluent on why veterans should be members Create opportunities for family events Recruit family Program implementation. Select program committee chairs based on skillsets and motivation. Not only do we have to recruit new members, we have to recruit leaders. The district is on the front line to do that because we are the ones that are moving the bar for the state level. Help posts build their infrastructure, and recognize posts and members for their program participation. If you recognize what they do for children and youth with programs, they will continue to do it. Membership engagement. Become fluent on why veterans should become members, revitalize yearly, ensure posts are using mylegion.org, help posts secure recruiting materials and membership applications, recognize new members and have fun. Being a district commander is the most difficult, but the most rewarding job and you have to have fun doing it.

District Commander 10 Point Success Guide Ten continued Membership Engagement Retain Look for a cadence of contact with members at each Post Provide Service Officer Support Revitalize every year Ensure each Post can use mylegion.org Recruit Help each Post secure recruiting material and applications Recognize new members during your visit Provide data on veterans in the area Go early to the town or county and try to recruit a member for the Post Have fun

District Commander 10 Point Success Guide Thank You