WHO ARE WE? National ALLIANCE on Mental Illness What does ALLIANCE mean? A state of being associated for mutual benefit. A relationship…. Largest grass root advocacy group for mental health Nami Georgia Represents 19 affiliates across the state

LEADERSHIP Expectations from this discussion: What do you want to learn about leadership today? Who Me????

Expectations of a group: Will groups always agree? Will it always go well? Will we always get our way? Expect problems will occur. Have a spoken plan for it. Have healthy board guidelines as a agenda item at your meetings. Be specific. Who is responsible for group behavior?

Where to start……… It starts with you Expectation – Decide on a group Culture Structure – Have a set Agenda

Healthy and Unhealthy Group Behaviors Trust Respect Focus Gossip Drama Dominance

Gossip – A person who habitually reveals or sensationalizes facts about others or an organization Something you wouldn’t say if the person was standing there – Have a private conversation first Becomes a habit Takes two people – one to talk and one to listen DON’T BE EITHER WILL RUIN TRUST IN A GROUP

How to get rid of Gossip Ask the person: Say – This sounds like gossip Do I need to know this? Where did you get this information? VERIFY INFORMATION Have you spoken to the person you are telling me about? Why are you telling me this? Say – This sounds like gossip

Drama – Exciting emotional or unexpected series of events or set of circumstances Exaggeration of a situation Feels like an emergency or must be dealt with now Becomes a habit Takes two people – one to talk and one to listen or pick up the rope - DON’T BE EITHER WILL DRIVE AWAY HEALTHY GROUP MEMBERS

How to get rid of Drama Expect good intentions Be realistic – is this really an issue, does it need to be dealt with now or ever? Does this have to do with our common group goal? Call it what it is and follow up with the person it is coming from? WILL DRIVE AWAY HEALTHY GROUP MEMBERS

Group Dominance - arises when members of a social group interact, often aggressively, to create a ranking system. Involved or comments on all things in the group Monday Morning Quarterbacking Getting physically/verbally upset during a meeting Threatens to quit a group/event/ working with a person Usually holds a lot of task or responsibility in a group Usually has a personal agenda or a conflict of interest Call it what it is and follow up with the person it is coming from WILL DRIVE AWAY HEALTHY GROUP MEMBERS

How to get rid of Group Dominance - Set group guidelines Meet with the person and discuss the issue Use comment cards Call it what it is and follow up with the person it is coming from? WILL DRIVE AWAY HEALTHY GROUP MEMBERS

HEALTH GROUP BEHAVIOR - Decide on a group culture – see NAMI ROME example Go over specific culture behaviors in each meeting Decide and focus on a group mission Understand we do NOT all have to like each other but we do have to RESPECT and WORK together Don’t allow conflicts of interest Have an agenda and send ahead of time -see NAMI Georgia example Use Committees and trust them Think WIN-WIN