[This post is a bit more cynical, which I've been trying to avoid. I'm not taking it down because I do believe that lay leadership trainng is essential but, in the main, non-existent. So try and see through the cynicism and frustration, because I think there are actually some decent ideas here]
There are schools for Rabbis, teachers, cantors, administrators, kiruv workers, and pretty much the entire gamut of Jewish professionals. But it seems that nobody is training the lay leadership. It’s a real problem, because they really could use it. Here’s a preliminary course of study:
Humility 101:
The lay leader learns that he doesn’t know more than the teacher about teaching, more than the Rabbi bout Rabbinics, more than the administrator about administrating, etc.
Wisdom 127:
The value of silence – how to shut up and listen.
Time Management 245:
Applications of the Temporal Equality Theorem: (the value of my time) = (the value of your time) and uprooting the Balabatishe Theorem: (my time) = valuable. (your time) = expendable.
Critical Thinking 302:
How to sort through the gripes of the constituents, distinguishing grumpiness and stupidity from genuine critique before dumping on the professional. How to remove feelings from the process of judging.
Flattery 332:
How to select a standard and apply it evenly, to all constituents and professionals.
Priorities 401:
Why money isn’t the most important thing in the world.
Myopia 414:
The value of seeing past the end of your own nose, and outside of your 4 ells.
Successful Meetings 433:
Learning to take 5 minutes to say what can be said in 5 minutes. Learning not to repeat. Learning to stay on topic.
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