Responsibility Discussion
This is deemed to bring everyone involved to the same page about the roles, responsibilities, and
goals of this specific position. Instead of simply going over in list format what each role is, the
discussion is aimed to make this learning experience more interactive, spark some brainstorming
ideas, and share the differences of positions between regions. When you walk out of this session,
you should know the leadership values and roles this position entails and what it means to be a
successful board member in your chapter.
The following questions can be asked to ALL positions. Then move to the “position specific” questions.
What results are you responsible for in your board position?
o Certain number of new & retained members or money raised for StandUP cause
What impact do you have on the entire chapter board by being in this position and what
responsibilities help or hinder that impact?
What, if any, are any unique responsibilities of this position in your chapter? For example,
are you responsible for planning a certain type of convention? Writing a weekly D’var
Torah?
What do you think the BBYO definition of success is for this position? Do you think this
differs from any other club or organization with a similar position?
o What values are similar in everyday leadership? What makes BBYO and this position
unique?
What tasks are essential to this position on a day-to-day basis? Weekly basis? Monthly
basis? By the end of the term?
When you are elected to chapter board, do other extra-curricular activities need to take a
backseat? Is there a certain percentage of chapter events that you are required to attend?
What does your chapter board do in terms of goal setting at the beginning of the year? For
follow up throughout the year? Is this effective or not?
Does your chapter board have a motto or mission statement that guides everything you all
do?
Godol/N’siah
How often should you speak with your board? Conference calls? Meetings?
Does a successful president need to be friends with the entire board?
What are some tactics that are essential in a president to deal with this?
What about board members that ran against you or that ran for one position,
lost, and dropped down to another position?
What are some good things to delegate to other board members?
What type of information should be divulged to the rest of the board? Financial
matters? Discipline matters?
How important is it for your chapter to be represented on the regional and international
level? Are you required to attend (and is this known before you run)?
How important is it for the chapter presidents to promote and support regional and
international campaigns and initiatives? What can you do to make sure your chapters
are aware and participating?
How do you evaluate how your chapter is doing?
How can you make yourself accessible to every member in your chapter and the
community at large?
Is it important for the Godol/N’siah to be the most versed person in the chapter about
parliamentary procedures? How strict is your chapter about this? If not, what are ways
that you can make sure your meetings still go efficiently and you are respected as
Godol/N’siah?
S’gan/S’ganit
Serving as second in command, what leadership and Judaic values are important to
keep in mind while working with the Godol/N’siah?
What chairman/chairwomanship’s does your chapter have? Do they report to you or
someone else? Do you have other interactions with them?
How does your chapter participate in regional and international awards? What regional
awards do you guys have and how do you handle them – specific conventions,
application process, etc?
Who is responsible in your chapter for putting programs in the dashboard?
Do you think it is your responsibility to plan, promote AND evaluate chapter
programming? How can you help the evaluation process and chapters grow from this?
Moreh/Morah
What types of activities, processes, procedures do you guys have for recruitment? Is
there a difference between fall and spring recruitment?
Is there anything special that your chapter does to focus on retention?
Is there an ongoing process that you do for education? Seminars? AIT/MIT
convention?
At what point do you think it is important to switch from AZA & BBG history to
leadership development?
What ways does your chapter involve younger members in finding out which
aspects of BBYO they like the most?
What does your chapter do in terms of Young Leadership Development to
ensure that when current seniors graduate there are plenty of new members to
step up in an effective way?
Are you involved with Teen Connection? If so, to what extent?
Do you know what CLTC is and how can you promote it?
Shaliach/Sh’licha
In your chapter, is your role mainly focused on one of the three folds (Judaism,
Community Service, Social Action) over the others? If so, how can you make sure that
the others are given attention to this year?
Does your chapter know the Birkat Hamazon or treat it as a joke? What about services
in general? What if you or other board members are disrespectful?
Is Israel promotion large in your communities?
What can you do outside of BBYO to help your role as Shaliach/Sh’licha?
Is it solely your responsibility to lead services? What if you do not know all the
prayers? Who leads the D’var Torah?
What activities are appropriate for Shabbat programming? How can you ensure only
these activities are done on the chapter level?
Should AZA and BBG Shabbat be done on a regional or chapter level? What are the
advantages and disadvantages of both?
Mazkir/Mazkirah
Is your position just about communication for events or broader communication? What
types of other communication are involved in this position? Interpersonal? Conflict
resolution? Public speaking?
What types of written skills are valuable in non-BBYO life that you learn as Mazkirim?
Can this be applied to college applications or schoolwork?
Do you pass out minutes to everyone in the chapter or do you just read them? Do the
minutes need to be approved by staff beforehand? Has anyone in your chapter ever
gotten offended by anything written about them in the minutes?
Does your chapter have a newspaper? How are articles submitted for this and who is
in charge of it? What about the yearbook, scrapbook, and regional mailer?
If you were asked to be in charge of marketing materials and promotion for chapter
events, do you feel that is beyond your job responsibilities?
Does your chapter have an electronic copy of the constitution that you are responsible
for updating as the year progresses?
Gizbor/Gizborit
Is this position strictly about money? How does fundraising play a role in everything
that BBYO does on a chapter level?
Do you help with budgets for chapter programs? How can you become more involved
in this process as a learning experience for life?
If members are supposed to be responsible for the livelihood of their chapter/region, is
it fair to say that they should be responsible for paying for all the food at an event held
at someone’s house or security at the JCC? How would you promote this mentality to
your chapter counterparts?
Do you know the breakdown of where Stand UP donations go?
Does your chapter know what Stand UP is or do they feel it is simply something they
need to raise money for? Is this the only reason they raise money?
How is your role changing with the revamping of I$F to Stand UP?