[Businessmtg] Show Of Hands

[Steve Rankin]

Hi ASPers,

 

While this idea sounds good on the surface, I have a major problems with it.
Please stick with me while I explain . . .

 

First, understand that the Al-Anon Group Conscience is based on the members
becoming INFORMED during the discussion process and the result is
SUBSTANTIAL UNANIMITY. If the discussion is short-circuited and the members
do not become well informed during the discussion, then the process fails
and the result is no better than a popular vote by people that know little
if anything about the issue. 

 

Similarly, SUBSTANTIAL UNANIMITY is required for everything but the simplest
housekeeping matters where an informal "poll" (nodding of heads) is
acceptable. On all other matters, there MUST be SUBSTANTIAL UNANIMITY. In
other words, a mere simple majority does not suffice. A minimum of a 2/3's
majority is required for most issues, and a 3/4's majority required for some
issues. 

 

Historically, Al-Anon has said that it didn't follow Robert's Rules of Order
in meetings, while in fact that is exactly what it did. That changed in
April 2006 when the Al-Anon Board of Trustees announced at the World Service
Conference that it had adopted the KBDM process. [I'm posting a history of
the KBDM process in a separate message]

 

On May 1, 2006 ASP completed the process of changing from 10 years of
operating on my personal server & guidance, to operating on a server paid
for by 7th Tradition contributions and with a full suite of elected
officers. A member of ASP brought the concept of the KBDM process to ASP
Business Meeting sometime after that, and a Group Conscience was taken to
adopt the new KBDM process. Information on KBDM was limited at the time, and
personal experience with the process was virtually non-existent. So, rather
than trying to "wing it" we took what we understood about the process and
created a detailed outline to follow. The ASP version of the KBDM process is
found at:

 

 <http://asp-afg.org/members/business-meeting-process-at-asp/>
http://asp-afg.org/members/business-meeting-process-at-asp/

 

 

The leadership of ASP is expected to follow the ASP KBDM process as it is
written. 

 

The problem is that "taking a poll" at ASP is in reality taking a vote - and
that short-circuits the entire KBDM process. Worse, the Chair is suggesting
that taking a poll is mandatory. IMHO, taking a poll is the wrong thing to
do. A simpler, quicker and more effective way would be for the Chair to
simply ask that members who haven't spoken yet or who have changed their
minds, to please speak up now so the Chair can have a better feeling for the
consensus, if any. That technique not only avoids the admin hassles of a
poll/vote, it avoids short-circuiting the KBDM process.  I could go on, but
IMHO it's really a mute point. Let me explain  . . .

 

In researching KBDM process, I discovered that there is a significant
difference between the basic process at ASP and the basic process as
described at several Al-Anon AWS sites. I'll describe that difference by
describing the core process at ASP and the core process as it now works in
Al-Anon as a whole:

 

A. At ASP we have one phase of discussion where facts and opinions are
comingled. What we often see in ASP is many members sharing their opinions
on an issue before the facts have been presented. This tends to make the
process very muddy as facts are obfuscated by opinions. You can see that
during the current "discussion" in the Business Meeting where 6 members have
stated their opinion, yet no one has posted anything factual or informative
on the subject. How can we have an INFORMED Group Conscience with nothing
but opinions [such as "I'm in favor . . ."], but no information? We can't.
Opinions at the beginning of the process do nothing to inform and tend to
stiffle the discussion - opinions belong at the tail end of the process. 

 

B. The KBDM process at the Al-Anon Areas separate the fact & opinion phases.
In the fact phase comes first. Members are allowed to ask questions, members
are allowed to answer questions, and the Chair may ask specific members to
respond/answer specific questions. Opinions are not allowed during the fact
phase; the Chair may even stop a member from sharing their opinions during
the fact phase. Once the fact phase has been completed, all questions
answered and all the facts have been presented, then the opinion phase
begins. During the opinion phase, members are allowed to make brief (2
minutes in f2f meetings) statements of their opinion. 

 

I believe that this difference in KBDM process is critical and needs to be
addressed before any other changes are considered, including any other
substantive motions regardless of the subject.

 

As a result, I recommend that the current discussion be tabled, and ASP
modify the written KBDM process used at ASP to reflect the current processes
used by face-to-face Al-Anon World Service Areas. I suggest that the
Steering Committee study this issue and bring an updated KBDM process to the
Business Meeting for approval. 

 

FYI: There the Colorado Al-Anon website has an excellent slide show on how
the Al-Anon KBDM process works in detail:

 

 <http://www.al-anon-co.org/images/A5_Delegate_ColoradoKBDM.pdf>
http://www.al-anon-co.org/images/A5_Delegate_ColoradoKBDM.pdf

 

Hugs,

Steve