For the Sake of the Salmon has conducted numerous watershed workshops in WA, OR & CA. At those workshops participants were asked to complete a "HOW CAN WE HELP YOU" survey to assist with the development of additional workshops. The results identified desires to find out how to personally survive with all of the tasks that range from assessment of watersheds to zoning ordinances. FSOS invited River Network (a national effort to help people organize to protect and restore rivers and watersheds). Don Elder facilitated a session about Having a Life: Stress and time management. His presentation is followed with advice from the participants at a Chico, CA workshop.

THE BORN LEADER: WATERSHED SUPERHERO

"Fire in belly" group

• Concern
• Passion
• Anger
• Initiative
• Determination
• Drive
• Ability to recognize, define, respond to crisis

Perfectionist group

• Vision
• Willingness to hold out for ideal (or pretty close to it)
• Ability to motivate
• Ability to lead by example

Extrovert group
(characteristics even introverts can turn on at will)

• Charisma
• Charm
• Persuasiveness

Self-abuser group

• "Caretaker" personality
• Do-it-myselfer
• Good at accepting responsibility
• Bad at saying no
• Good at thinking of good things to do
• Good at keeping lists
• (Plus some of the other stuff above)

• Commitment to self-care
• Commitment to skills development
• Commitment to building pool of potential successors
• Commitment to planning (group and individual; long and short term)
• Ability to prioritize, let go of non-essentials
• Good management skills (people and systems)
• Consensus building/conflict resolution skills
• Willingness and ability to delegate authority, responsibility
• Willingness and ability to invest time regularly in developing and supporting potential future leaders
• Sense of accountability for overall performance (to members, board, and/or public, as case may be)
• Volunteer recruitment and management
• Basic time management skills
• Basic financial management skills
• Willingness/ability to lead and support (!) governing board (or analogous group of people in organization)
• Fundraising for cause (even if not for own organization)
• Ability to "turn off"

Developed by Don Elder

• Plan some down time in every day, week, month, year
• Budget time to plan every day, week, month, year
• Stop to count your accomplishments every day, week, month, year
• Allow time to process info, ideas before acting
• Take your vacation -- all of it
• Plan self-renewal/self-care time into every week (exercise, meditation, gardening, hiking, time with friends, time alone....whatever recharges your battery)
• Confess weaknesses to self, others
• Keep a running list of priorities, not just things to do, and be satisfied with doing well on your top priority things
• Figure out critical tasks, budget time for them and don’t let anything crowd out
• Resist ruts!
• Try hard to get out & stay out of crisis mode
• Invest time every day in doing some of the things necessary to allow you to let go
• Don’t procrastinate the stuff that doesn’t come easily to you: budget time for it ("hour of terror" each day, for example)
• Have some fun every day
• Decide when you are going to turn off the light switch at the end of the day, and then do whatever is necessary to do it!
• Let your phone machine do its magic (especially at home)
• Have fun with your work!
• Go stand in a river!

SAGE ADVICE: ANYBODY HAVE ANY?, Part II

Developed by four breakout groups in Chico during "Having a Life" workshop presentation, 4/24/98