[TheForge] Questions regarding group leadership
Lynne Mork
lynnemork at hotmail.com
Fri Dec 22 02:03:34 EST 2006
Jeff; 12-21-06
I have been a member of two different blacksmithing groups, but not
the CBA. One group (A) was run in a very efficient, timely and
informative way. The other group (B) was run in an extremely
disorganized manner.
I believe it makes a big difference to the membership if the
organization is disorganized even if it is a non-profit (hobby)
group. If a person is not qualified, or willing to fill the position
with integrity, they should not accept it. It affects peoples lives.
I believe a mans word should mean something.
At times, different officers of the (B) board of would conduct
meetings, take membership dues, address changes, and other things that
would affect an individual member when the treasurer or secretary was
not present.
When I retired and moved, I gave the officiating officer my new
address. But each time I received the news letter containing
information about when and where the next meeting was, the meeting
date had already passed. The mail would go to the old address, back
to the post office, and then finally to me, to-late. I have to travel
at least 130 to 180 miles one-way to attend meetings. The meetings
were held every 2 months. I lived alone looked forward with
anticipation to go to the meetings and interfacing with some of my old
friends.
I made calls to several different officers on the board and was
assured by each one of them that my address change would be corrected.
This went on for over two years, really!
Even when I paid my annual dues, I would enquire to see if they had
corrected my address. But guess what? Finely a friend of mine became
an officer in the disorganization. He found out that every member of
the board had their own membership list, that they never took the time
to cross check or updated their membership lists.
Also, they could not satisfactorily account for the finances of the
organization. They would not account for other questionable practices
that a few of the officers was involved in when guest demonstrators
came to town. Through evasion and intimidation it was swept under the
rug.
The same group (B) also did not uniformly enforce safety practices.
The same people micro-manage the organization to this very day. Sad,
sad, sad. It makes you wonder how they are able to keep their own
business running.
Organization (A) is run just the opposite, and is a pleasure to be a
part of.
Bottom line, I dont want anything to do with the former officers, nor
could I ever trust them as individuals. To take two years to get my
address correct so I could get the flyer in time to attend a meeting
was disgusting.
Lesson: Use just one updated master membership list for current
information!
I know am ragging on this, but it really ^%#$*@ me off. Something that
should be fun was not. Only due to having a few friends in the
organization, I have remaine.
Good Luck!
______________________________________________________________
From: "Jeffrey Polaski" <jeff.polaski at rgs.uci.edu>
Reply-To: Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [TheForge] Questions regarding group leadership
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2006 14:20:13 -0800
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>I've decided that I'll be running to be a board member in our
states
>local blacksmithing organization, the California Blacksmiths
Association
>(CBA). It's a good group of people, and I think I have some skills
that
>can really help out.
>
>I'm curious, though, about what sort of things people expect and
need
>from their local blacksmithing organizations. I think following
the
>purpose statement* from the charter is the most important thing.
After
>all, that's why the group was founded. Personally, I think the CBA
has
>been run very well. Sometimes they may be a bit disorganized but I
think
>that would be true of any non-profit "hobby" group. (The web site
needs
>work -- but that is in the process of getting fixed).
>
>The main thing for me is I've only had experience with the CBA, so
I
>could easily be missing a lot. That's why I wanted to ask
others: what
>do you expect from your groups leadership? Do you want them to
just put
>on a few meet-ups every year, publish a newsletter, and otherwise
stay
>out of the way? Or do people want more public outreach, or more
support
>for people who are doing blacksmithing as a business, or people
trying
>to get a job at a shop?
>
>I'm not talking specifically about the CBA, but does anyone have
any
>suggestions? What do they expect from their board members? Has
anyone
>done something that is especially worthwhile, but that might not
be
>obvious? Any tips for stuff to be avoided?
>
>
>
>
>*CBA purpose statement: "The Association is organized solely for
>educational purposes, accomplish by the encouragement of training
>programs and conferences for higher standards of craftsmanship;
>disseminating information on sources of equipment, literature and
>material; and bringing the art of the smith to the public through
craft
>fairs and publications."
>
>
>Jeff Polaski
>
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