Women and Leadership Member Community Bylaws
Revised December 1,2020
  
I. Name   
The founding name of this group from 2010 -2020 was the “Women and Leadership Affinity Group” (WLAG). In 2020, the International Leadership Association (ILA) renamed all associated groups as “Member Communities,” therefore, WLAG alternately became known as the Women and Leadership Member Community (WLMC) or W&L. W&L is a network of leadership scholars and practitioners who want to enhance their knowledge, expertise, and research in the area of women and leadership and to advance the standing of women in leadership.    
 
II. Purpose  
The Women and Leadership Member Community (W&L) is intended to facilitate interaction and organize activities that support the sustained conversation on the subject of women and leadership. The unique purpose of this group is to provide information, resources, and networking opportunities for those scholars and practitioners who 1) study and conduct research around the issues of women and leadership and/or 2) who design development and coaching programs and services for helping women to move into leadership or to strengthen their leadership ability. It welcomes scholars and practitioners who are interested in discussing possibilities for future collaborative research and action around these topics.   
 
III. Vision 
The Women and Leadership Member Community (W&L) vision is to be the primary resource within ILA for the most current research, programming, practices, and opportunities for dialogue and collaboration to further promote women and leadership in the 21st century and beyond.  
 
IV. Principles and Practices  
 
Relative to the issues of women and leadership, the ILA W&L works to:  
1. Contribute to the body of leadership development work through research and publications and provide resources for practitioners. 
2. Facilitate interaction between its members by organizing activities and events on the topic of leadership development. 
3. Increase knowledge and expertise in leadership theory, research, and practice. 
4. Promote interest in special leadership topics. 
5. Develop partnerships between members for increased publication of high-quality research in the ILA supported journals. 
6. Support and foster learning among W&L members and others in ILA. 
7. Provide a forum for networking, exchange of ideas, and mentoring of emerging researchers and practitioners. 

Key W&L Tasks 
The key tasks are to:  
1. Coordinate at least one activity to coincide with the ILA annual conference.  
2. Promote publications and conference contributions that focus on issues around the development of women and/in leadership. 
3. Work with ILA staff to: 
a. Establish and maintain a W&L membership list to foster networking, discussion, and learning for the W&L members.  
b. Establish and maintain a W&L website within the ILA website to promote W&L visibility and awareness.  
c. Maintain a membership list so that members can contact each other when needed.  
4.  Develop and utilize other tools to accomplish the Key Tasks and to ensure Principles and Practices outcomes: Newsletter, ILA Space, and Social Media. 
  
V. Requirements of Participation and How to Join 
 ILA members may become members of the W&L through the ILA website. Membership information will also be available at the annual meeting of W&L during the ILA Luncheon. There are no specific expectations for the participants in W&L. Some may only be interested in yearly face-to-face meetings, while others may want to interact often to establish closer networking and mentoring relationships. Our goal is to establish a group that will allow for members to interact as frequently as needed and to receive relevant information throughout the year. W&L members will be encouraged to communicate with each other about key events, foster principles of scholarly practice, and to participate in working groups to accomplish committee tasks, as needed.   
 
VI. Deliverables 
1. Charter: Update the initial Charter by adding the current year’s ELT members and posting on the ILA website.  
2. Website: Update the ILA website with Charter, Bylaws, ELT members, Presidents (Immediate Past, Present, and Elect), and other information. 
3. W&L Annual Event: Host an annual event that may alternate between an academic conference and practitioner event such as colloquium or training. 
4. ILA Conference: Organize ILA W&L events such as orientation, luncheon (or other social meeting), business meeting, and presentation sessions.  
4. Committee Output: As designated, committees will: communicate with members through available channels; stay connected with members, conduct elections, and facilitate the awards; support opportunities for research and practice, such as publications, presentations, and training; develop additional international outreach; other deliverables as determined by the ELT. 

VII. Meeting Schedule 
 
Women and Leadership plans to have annual face-to-face or virtual meetings at the ILA Conferences and quarterly Executive Leadership Team meetings. We also plan to use a variety of the following electronic tools: ILA website, videoconference meetings, LinkedIn, other social media, virtual connections, member directory, webinars, etc.   

VIII. Electronic Tools to be Utilized 
 
1. Newsletter Strategy: Use to promote Principles and Practices 1- 6 and to support achievement of Key Tasks 1 and 2. Scope: Use the more traditional method of monthly communication, as it is comprehensive and all members will have access to it.  
a. Promote W&L activities and accomplishments. 
i. Announcements about W&L. 
ii. Feature articles about W&L and/or spotlight of our community. 
iii. Use of calendar of events to announce upcoming W&L events, webinars, discussion topics, etc.  
b. Use for other initiatives that are essential for promoting the W&L’s accomplishments. 
i. Highlight W&L members’ publications. 
ii. W&L author interviews. 
c. Use for knowledge provision and research. 
i. Announcements of upcoming webinars (could set target goal no./year) 

2. Social Media Strategy: Use to fulfill Principles and Practices 1-7 and as a real-time forum for promoting Key Tasks 1-2. Results of Key Task 3 would be invaluable for establishing, updating, and promoting W&L Principles and Practices. 
a. Use selected recognized tools, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and explore other tools to ensure international presence, positioning, and penetration. 
i. Brand ILA’s women leadership community. 
ii. Connect and communicate to/with other ILA communities and beyond, using both “broadcast” and “narrow cast” modes. These modes could include communities of practice, research, and publication groups; learning and special-interest groups on LinkedIn, etc.; and real-time, “flash” communications. 
iii. Increase visibility and reach of other content, such as our ILA website space, newsletter, publications, etc.  
iv. Create value-added messaging that transcends conventional branding and communications, creating goodwill and increasing our reach. 

3. ILA Space Strategy: Use to fulfill Principles and Practices 1-6 and Key Tasks 1-3. 
a. ILA Space: The level and strength of the information meets our needs. 
i. Links are pertinent and suitable and are in working order with regard to visibility and access.   
ii. The site includes contact information (opportunity for listservs, discussions, W&L website, etc.). 
iii. The domain location in the site address (URL) is appropriate to the focus of the affinity group (can utilize any and all ILA group’s services and support already in place). 
b. The community can create a group in which discussions and collaboration can occur. The ILA Space also includes functions for blogs, forums for networking, event listings, promoting learning via webinars, and photo/video sharing.  

IX. Organizational Structure: Leadership Structure, Elections, and Committee Responsibilities 
 Leadership Structure 
1. Executive Leadership Team 

W&L is led by a 14-member Executive Leadership Team which includes a President, President-Elect, and an outgoing or Past-President who serves as an advisory member to the Executive Leadership Team. All Executive Leadership Team members are elected by a majority vote of the ELT for a three-year term of office. Elections occur annually after the ILA Conference, with newly elected members assuming office immediately after elections. Current listings of the Executive Leadership Team Roster are maintained and distributed by the Chair of Membership. The roster includes each member’s contact information and year of term expiration. Prior to taking their place on the Executive Leadership Team, all members must agree to the following responsibilities: 
a. Attend and participate regularly in Executive Leadership sessions/meetings uring the member’s term of office. 
b. Assume leadership responsibility during this term of office by chairing a committee or special project. 
c. Respond to all requests for information and feedback from the President, President-Elect, and other Executive Leadership members in timely fashion. 
d. Resign if duties cannot be fulfilled. 

2. Executive Leadership Team President

The President is elected by a majority vote of the W&L Executive Leadership Team for a one-year term and must be an Executive Leadership Team member when elected. For one year prior to taking office, this person serves as President-Elect. The President-Elect officially assumes the President position at the annual ILA Conference during the open meeting. This transition time is most crucial for the continuity of leadership and should be viewed as a time of sharing and learning between the President-Elect and the President. 

The Executive Leadership Team President is responsible for coordinating executive leadership meetings and other activities of the team, working with the team to identify and achieve short- and long-term goals related to promoting the leadership agenda, communicating with the ILA Board Liaison, and mentoring future leaders The President calls an Executive Leadership Team meeting at least once per quarter and ensures that updates are sent to the group at large at least once per quarter. The President serves as the primary point of contact for W&L, representing the W&L to ILA, its Board, and general membership; communicating with the ILA Board Liaison as needed and completing a written report of W&L activities and conveying it to the ILA Board Liaison on a biannual basis (i.e. every 6 months).  
   
3. President-Elect and Past-President

The primary responsibility of the President-Elect includes learning about ILA and the duties of the President, working with the W&L Executive Leadership Team, and assisting the President in carrying out his/her duties.  The Past-President serves in an advisory capacity to the President, President-Elect, and the Executive Leadership Team. Past-President has the latitude to participate in W&L initiatives and committees voluntarily or when needed. An additional function is Historian, a role which requires archiving and updating/establishing permanent records of the previous year’s WLMC activities, accomplishments, and other relevant involvements and happenings.  

W&L President Elections/Election Procedures All official responsibilities begin and end during the annual ILA W&L business meeting. The terms shown are approximate in that they reflect the block of time that the annual meeting is usually held.  
Terms 
President Elect: One-year term 
President: One-year term 
Past- President One-year term 
Executive Leadership Team Members: Three-year term 
 
Procedures 
The Membership Committee Chair will serve as the election manager each year. In general, the election manager will collect self-nominations for the membership, following the timeline presented. Nominees must be ILA and W&L members. 

4. Committee Responsibilities 

The following areas are some of the on-going committees and projects of the WLMCfor which Executive Leadership Team members provide leadership. Each Committee Chair submits an annual report to the Executive Leadership Team Presidentfor distribution to the membership during the open annual meeting. This report should summarize the events of the committee and any input regarding relevant topics. 

ILA Global Conference Committee 
Two Stream Co-Chairs plan W&L events for the ILA conferences. Coordinates W&L stream proposal review and session organization. Responsible for the design and implementation of all W&L activities, displays, and giveaways. The W&L President will be a member of this committee.  
 
Communications and Media Committee 
Works with ILA to 1) establish a member list to foster networking, discussion, and learning for the ILA W&L members, 2) ensure social media is being effectively used, 3) promote ongoing participation and communication through the ILA W&L web site (this may include developing content, posting relevant information, updating pages, and redesigning the site as needed), 4) coordinate and promote leadership through a webinar series, and 5) provide updates for ILA newsletters. The President-Elect will be a member of this committee.  
 
Membership and Awards Committee 
Responsible for maintaining membership records and a membership roster with all contact information. Coordinates and hosts an orientation event at each conference. Also charged with disseminating up-to-date information to all ILA W&L members. Oversees the election of Executive Leadership Team members and President. Election responsibilities include preparing and submitting the request for Executive Leadership Team nominations and contacting candidates with a request for biographical information to use in the ballot. Notification of election results will be distributed to W&L members. This committee will also work on awards. The Past President will be a member of this committee.  
 
Research and Practice Committee 
Responsible for raising awareness of the research and practice being done in the areas of women and leadership. Taking on short-term projects related to our constituencies and collaborating when possible to advance scholarship and practice. Actively recruit and engage professional practitioners into the organization.

International Outreach Committee
Responsible for the recruitment, engagement, and retention of international members to increase our global presence. Committee will highlight opportunities and manage challenges of our non-US members to participate. Members will support in-person international conferences, as well as virtual events to enhance our global colleagues. 

Women and Leadership Topical Conference Committee
Two Conference Co-Chairs will direct the June W&L conferences, including selecting the theme, location, format, and team. A Program Chair or Co-Chairs will spearhead the content submission and selection process by managing Stream Chairs or Co-Chairs. An Activity Chair or Co-Chairs will create locally-themed events and special sessions.  
 
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM (ELT) POSITIONS 
 
 All ELT members are required to be current members of ILA.  
 The ELT will remain at 14 members.
 Length of term on the ELT is 3 years for a given member. If an individual whose term has expired wishes to continue to serve on the ELT, the individual may be considered for re-election to a second 3-year term. At the conclusion of the second consecutive term, the individual must wait one year to be considered for election to another 3-year term.  
 Current non-ELT committee volunteers who have served at least one year will be given priority consideration over others who have not volunteered if they choose to apply for a vacant ELT position at election time. Further, non-ELT committee volunteers will be given priority consideration for filling an ELT position that becomes vacant during a term.  
 ELT annual position filling process timeline: 
o September 1st - Upcoming position vacancies will be identified. 
o October 1st – Call for applicants will be sent to W&L members and posted on the W&L page of the ILA web site (the call will also be advertised at ILA global conference).  
o November 20th - Candidates for open positions will submit to the Membership and Awards Committee Chair a CV/resume, and a brief (150-200 word) statement indicating their reasons for interest in serving and what they would bring to the ELT.  
o December 1st - Membership and Awards Committee Chair will review all applications and distribute the most relevant application materials to all current ELT members. 
o December 10th - Current ELT members will review the application materials they received and subsequently submit their votes for each open position. If there are more candidates than there are vacant ELT positions, voters will submit a rank-ordered vote. To ensure voter anonymity, the voting process will take place via an online survey or a similar process.  
o December 15th - Membership and Awards Committee will tally the votes and notify current ELT members, successful candidates, and unsuccessful candidates of the results.  
o January 1st - New ELT members will be in place. 
o Current ELT members who are finishing their term will continue to serve through December 31. 

COMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE CHAIR POSITIONS 
 
 Each committee will be comprised of at least 3 or 4 members, to allow for non-ELT W&L member involvement and yet keep committee size reasonable for coordination purposes. 
 Each committee must include at least 2 ELT members, leaving other committee positions open to non-ELT W&L members who wish to serve. If there are not enough non-ELT W&L members interested in filling committee positions, then ELT members may fill committee positions as needed. 
 A W&L member is eligible to volunteer to serve on a committee without being a member of the ELT; however, the individual must be a member of ILA and W&L. 
 Committee Chairs will have served on the given committee for at least one year prior to moving into the Chair position. If that scenario is not possible, then the Chair would have served on a different W&L committee for at least one year prior to moving into Chair of a new committee. If neither of the aforementioned scenarios are possible (e.g., if all committee members are rotating off the ELT because of term limits or no one with the aforementioned experience is interested in serving as chair), filling of the Committee Chair position will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.  
 Committee Chairs must be ELT members. 
 Committee Chairs will serve a 1-year term at the least and a 2-year term at the most.  
 Per each committee, the outgoing Committee Chair may notify the ELT President about who they would like to be considered as the next chair (with the members selected as candidates in agreement with their consideration). The ELT must approve of selections for committee chairs. The ELT President must confirm the selections and may also appoint committee chairs if necessary.  
 ELT annual position filling process timeline: 
o August 1st - Upcoming Committee Chair vacancies will be identified. 
o September 1st - The succeeding Chair will be identified by the aforementioned process and mentored by the current Chair prior to taking over the Chair position.  
o January 1st – New Committee Chairs will be in place.  

o Current Committee Chairs who are finishing their term will continue to serve through December 31. 

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM OR COMMITTEE MEMBER REMOVAL 
 
 If an ELT member or Committee member (including Chair) is not fulfilling the duties of the given position – such as non-performance or excessive absences from meetings and dialogues – the issue should be brought to the attention of the ELT President.  
 The ELT President will discuss the issue with the identified member. If the member conveys that she is unable to fulfill the duties of the position for whatever reason, the member may choose to resign early from the position. 
 If the member wishes to continue in the position and the concerning behavior continues, and the ELT President or other ELT members would like to remove the particular member from the position, a vote may be taken by the ELT members to do so. A two-thirds vote of agreement for removal among the ELT members is required to remove the member at issue.  
 In the case that a member is voted to be removed, the ELT President will appoint an interim committee member to serve in the vacated position. The interim member may be an ELT member or a non-ELT W&L member, currently serving, depending on the situation. The replacement will serve the remainder of the vacated member’s term. A resigned or removed ELT member may not choose the replacement, but may make suggestions. If the conditions for the interim replacement noted above cannot be met, situations will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. 

X. History 
In 2010, three ILA members (Susan R. Madsen, Karen Longman, and Kathi Tunheim) organized a “Women in Leadership Network Luncheon” that was held successfully at ILA’s annual conference in Boston. Approximately 110 individuals joined us for this event. Attendees sat at tables with others who were passionate about their specific areas of interest for engaging lunchtime conversation. 
 
At the conclusion of the luncheon, each table provided feedback on how they would like to see a more formal networking effort continued. The creation of an affinity group was at the top of the list. The establishment of the Women and Leadership Affinity Group in 2011 in time for the October ILA Conference in London fulfilled that request! 
 
See archived Charter for full history.