Mastering Member Management: Strategies for Effective Scheduling

1. Scheduling – the Big Picture • Understand the Members life and priorities • Maintain calm and collected demeanor • Use every tool possible to keep everyone in the loop • Create a logical system to feed information to your boss • Learn how the Member likes things and write them down • Always have a backup plan • Bad news should travel fast

2. Managing a typical week • Staff meetings are important • Accommodating meetings to votes • Try to come up with creative ways to make the week easier: constituent coffees, block hours, open door hours • Use checklists to stay on top of the week and month

3. Managing Meetings • Consolidate scheduling info • Do not finalize meetings without all attendees, where they are from, issues list, and day-of contact • Use staff to help manage the day • Have a set procedure for front office • Different kinds of meetings: • Full meetings • Quick hellos • Staff meetings • Staff meeting calendar

4. Managing Invites and Outlook • Suggestion: create a separate scheduling email • Organize the day in a way that creates the least amount of wear and tear • Develop a way to update the member on changes in schedule • Have a format for every outlook entry • Have a template for speaking engagements and district events

5. Travel • Make sure to monitor options for last votes and holding all options • Keep district staff in the loop • Have direct airline numbers for congressional desks, credit card info, Frequent Flyer info, etc on blackberry • Book flights at least a month ahead, if not at the beginning of the year

6. Resources • Rooms • Self scheduled rooms • Conference’s conference room • CVC rooms • First call • Housenet • Superintendent • Sergeant at arms