✅ The Two-Team Structure in an HPL Project

Think of it this way:

• Project Team (Execution Team): “The Doers” — this team does the work.

• Guidance Team (Advisory Team): “The Coaches” — this team advises, but does not implement.

✅ 1) Project Team (Execution Team) — This team does the work

Role

• Executes the plan

• Produces deliverables

• Carries out tasks you delegate

• Works under your leadership

Why this team matters

HPL is about leading people, not doing everything yourself. Your execution team proves you can:

• Delegate

• Motivate

• Coordinate

• Adjust when things don’t go as planned

Ideal Project Team members

✔ Reliable and action-oriented

✔ Comfortable working under direction

✔ Willing to take ownership of defined tasks

✔ At or below your experience level (important)

Recommended roles for a Pathways Training initiative

• Training Facilitator(s): delivers training sessions or demos

• Logistics / Scheduling Lead: handles dates, rooms, Zoom links, reminders

• Materials Coordinator: prepares handouts, slides, or Pathways job aids

• Feedback & Metrics Lead: collects surveys, tracks participation and outcomes

Tip: 3–5 project team members is ideal. More than that becomes management instead of leadership.

✅ 2) Guidance Team (Advisory Team) — This team does NOT do the work

Role

• Advises

• Challenges your thinking

• Offers perspective and course correction

• Helps you reflect and grow as a leader

They are not implementers.

Why this team matters

The guidance team demonstrates:

• You seek input

• You evaluate alternatives

• You make informed leadership decisions

This team is about judgment, not execution.

Ideal Guidance Team members

✔ More experienced than you in leadership

✔ Comfortable giving candid feedback

✔ Not directly involved in execution

✔ Respected within the District

Strong choices for your project

• A Past District Director or Program Quality Director

• An experienced VPE from another club

• A DTM with Pathways and mentoring experience

Important: Guidance team members should not run training sessions, create materials, or manage logistics. Their value is advice, not labor.

✅ How the Two Teams Work Together (But Stay Separate)

✅ What Evaluators Want to See

Evaluators look for:

• Clear delegation to the Project Team

• Clear consultation with the Guidance Team

• Evidence that you:

• Considered advice

• Made decisions

• Adjusted course when needed

You do not have to follow all advice — but you must show you considered it thoughtfully.

✅ Smart Selection Strategy

Project Team

• Choose people who will make you lead — not people who will “just do it for you.”

Guidance Team

• Choose people who will challenge you — not people who will automatically agree.

That contrast strengthens your HPL.

✅ Simple Language You Can Use in Your HPL Proposal

“The project team was responsible for executing the training initiative, including logistics, materials, and delivery. The guidance team provided strategic advice, feedback, and leadership insight but was not involved in execution. This structure allowed me to practice delegation, decision-making, and adaptive leadership.”

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