7 TIPS FOR SETTING UP A DEBATING CLUB

Ten Steps for Setting up a Debating Club for the 2015 Global Youth Eco-Leadership 1.Start by Introducing Debating.

To form the core of delegates club, we will need to run a few introductory debating sessions. 2. Get the group debating as quickly as possible.

Choose fun and interesting topics and reward winners. 3. Advertise, Advertise, Advertise...

The delegates must promote their debating club. Where possible, we should try and ensure that delegates are actively involved in the running and promotion of the club. For instance, delegates can be asked to create a range of posters to advertise each week’s debate topic.

This will help spread the word and hopefully attract more interest. 4. Conduct Competitions.

After we have introduced debating to our delegates, one of the best ways to ensure that they stay committed is to set up an inter-form or an inter-house debating competition. These competitions offer delegates the opportunity to work together in teams while preparing for and

researching debates. 6. Have Show Debates.

Once our delegates develop the confidence, we should encourage them to take part in a display debate in front of the whole the event or a particular year group. This gives the delegates involved a chance to develop their public speaking skills and helps advertise the

debating society to delegates who have not previously been involved. 7. Delegates Mentoring. Once our delegates gain more experience we

Should encourage older, more experienced delegates to help others prepare for debates. If we have a house competition, this might happen naturally. However, it is important to actively encourage mentoring so as to develop the skills of our more experienced delegates, thereby

reducing the amount of time we need to spend teaching delegates how to debate from scratch.

We are often asked whether coaching can really change a leader’s behavior, or transform the way they lead. Sometimes the question arises from people who are considering coaching. Others have a personal interest in discovering more about the coaching relationship.

Sometimes the question stems from someone with a challenging relationship with a leader who may possess stronger strategic, operational or technical skills than interpersonal skills. I find that the reason why people ask about coaching in the first place can provide valuable

insight into their motivation and willingness to change. We can set up the process to coach the delegates with steps below : 1. Deliberate refinement

2. Leadership for technical experts 3. Reflective coaching 4. "Seeing yourself as other see you" Thinking

1. Deliberate refinement Someone who is already considering a coaching relationship may already have a degree of self-awareness, understand that there are areas where they could enhance their

performance, and be motivated to discover more. This attitude is often found among those who understand that leadership is human-centered. Sustaining a vision, delivering a major change, or leading an investment program are all important leadership activities specially for

the 2015 Global youth Eco-Leadership. While the tweaks and adjustments may be small, when they are intentional and deliberate, consistent and visible, they can help refine a leader’s performance. In these cases, coaching is really about maximizing personal

effectiveness and interpersonal influence.

2. Leadership for Technical expert For delegates who value competence highly, as most technical specialists do, coaching may

have negative connotations. It may be viewed as remedial support or performance management, rather than as a positive intervention to help them become even more effective in their roles. In these situations, coaching can help the delegates see themselves as others

see them and develop their own strategies and style for dealing with the people issues that they find most challenging to handle.

3. Reflective Here, I wonder whether their direct reports share their confidence in their own ability to lead.

Sometimes their self-confidence is more than justified, but sometimes it is not. How many of us would readily challenge someone who repeatedly told us they were a wonderful leader? Most people would be reluctant to directly respond, especially if that person was in a more

senior role. Would we be more likely to smile, and say something positive about one of their strengths? Or possibly even change the subject and let them believe what they want to believe? In these instances, coaching can serve as a mirror, allowing the delegates to see

where their confidence is justified, and where there may be a mismatch between their beliefs and what others see.

4. "Seeing yourself as other see you thinking.

Whatever the motivation for asking about coaching, there can be few leaders who are not interested in what people really think about them. There are many tools a coach can use to support the delegates. One instrument valuable for its focus on leadership competencies is

the CPI260. This self-completion questionnaire provides a view of the leader as seen by others, in key competency areas of self-management, organizational capabilities, team building and teamwork, problem-solving and sustaining the vision. It depends on the reasons

and motivations for seeking coaching, the nature of the coaching relationship, the skill of the coach, and ultimately, by how much the leader really wants to change.