[Businessmtg] Lowering Greeter Requirements

[Jerry H.]

   Biz-Pals,

   I see our focus as averted from the real source of our service
   problems: a lack of willingness by our experienced ASP members to serve
   our group. Our most experienced members often refuse to even join our
   Business Meetings (BM). Now we're considering making even brand new
   Al-Anons eligible for our greeter positions.

   Some members are too quick to equate their F2F meeting greeter
   experiences with the requirements of this online format. In F2F new
   members can be gently brought into greeter service as they slowly
   acquaint themselves with the Al-Anon basics. Much more is required of
   our ASP Greeters including having to ask and answer some fairly
   technical questions, track files, communicte well, etc. This ties in
   with Kim's input about asking new ASP members to serve in busy
   positions which could easily detract from their early ASP experience
   and personal Al-Anon recoveries. Asking our very newest members to do
   what our experienced members will not seems very upside down to me.

   Setting aside these particulars for a minute I look at the significant
   size of this group. Contrast that with the few members who are willing
   to join the Business Meeting. Out of the many active ASP member
   participants, other than the 4 elected Steering Committee (SC) members
   already serving (sometimes in multiple roles out of necessity) only 12
   ASP members have joined this Business Meeting. Looking forward, what's
   to happen in a year or so when current SC members have filled out their
   terms?

   I guess what I'm getting around to is saying that we have a serious
   problem with recruiting members to serve at all levels, and I believe
   the solution is not cutting our participation requirements, but finding
   a way to better encourage service as a significant part of personal
   recovery. Sponsors encouraging sponsees into service ["Get in the
   car."] Finding a way to keep the service workloads down on each
   individual so no one feels burdened. Make service attractive instead of
   onerous. Everyone bending over backward to keep all our service
   communications civil and friendly.

   This problem could be as simple as lowering our standards, but I don't
   think so. When service is made attractive, people serve. If we do
   decide to lower ASP's participation requirement for greeters to 6
   months I believe we should at least call it a trial measure so we can
   study the consequences before making it permanent. That's my thinking
   as of today anyway.

   In service,

   Jerry

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