Starting Off Right!

Starting Off Right!

Greetings & Salutations! We have started a new fraternal year!

Texas Councils have installed their new officers, and at the Texas State Council Organizational meeting in Houston, our Worthy State Deputy Doug Oldmixon installed our new District Deputies and State Officers and asked us to do our part in getting Texas on track to hitting our membership, charity, insurance and Star Council goals. Our State Directors and Diocesan Deputies are also doing their best to hit our goals.

Pledging to hit the goal is easy; the challenge is making an effective plan and then then implementing that plan. So, let’s start planning! Here are some tips on putting together an effective membership plan.

First, know your Parish, know your Pastor and know your Council. Council leaders should make time to meet with their Pastors to find out how the Council can help the parish. Make the Pastor’s and parish’s priorities Council priorities. In working on these projects, the Pastor can help identify quality candidates for membership in the Council. Hold a membership social inviting these candidates, their families, and the Pastor. Don’t forget to invite your Insurance Agents! At the social, persuade the invitees to join the Order. Ask your Pastor to give a brief talk about the membership.

Second, achieving Star Council should be your council’s goal. Commit to making Star Council a priority. I liken it to getting in shape. A person’s commitment to improve their health means he is going to target losing weight, lower cholesterol and blood pressure—targets which require numbers. Attaining Star Council also involves numerical targets. Star Councils are healthy Councils because they are actively recruiting, making time for charity and engaging in programs that build up the parish. Know your targets for achieving Star Council.

In closing, please remember the story of Coach Thomas. Thomas became the head coach of a team that had finished 1-10-1 the previous season. Thomas studied and got to know his new team. The team saw themselves as losers, but Thomas saw differently. He knew the team was talented, but they needed motivation, focus and direction. They needed a goal—a target. Understanding group dynamics, at his first team meeting, Thomas made it clear that they were not losers, but were in fact a championship team. Over the course of the season, he motivated the team, making the title an expectation. As Thomas motivated the team, they began to believe they could win the title. Thomas’ team finished 7-5 that first season, and they knew they were no longer losers. They didn’t win the title that first year, but over the next 10 years, Coach Vincent Thomas Lombardi directed his Green Bay Packers to 5 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowl titles. Coach Lombardi was a Knight of Columbus!

Make a plan, believe in your members, and motivate positively! Contact your State Officers, State Directors, Diocesan Deputies, District Deputies or Insurance Agents if you need help making a plan or help motivating your Councils and officers.