[Businessmtg] Topic of Service: Changing Perception

[Veronica Porras]

Current email set up doesn’t allow “reply all” to Business Meeting email
posting. Hence the new email.

Been reading all the emails regarding unhealthy past behaviors and perhaps
is the reason for people not stepping up.

Laurie posed the question of what can we do to change perception. These are
valid points to bring up.

This is my 1st ASP Business Meeting, But I’m not new to Al-Anon business
meetings. I have definitely experienced my share of unhealthy behavior
during service and during business meetings. I too have had my asshole
moments in service and have made amends for them. Though I have experienced
that even when toxic members leave, the lasting effects of resentment, hurt
feelings, threat of unity still reside. How do you go forward?

And believe me reflecting back to my FOO I never forgot what the alcoholic
did. Now in recovery I have a choice. This is the place to be seen, be
heard and let go of the results. Is it worth holding onto some resentment
from yesteryear? One time I was giving an Outreach Presentation to a
district in my Area where the Area didn’t do much to reach out to this
particular district before. I was the first in long time that someone from
Area was doing something in their district. A GR in the audience had a
Resentment against the Area. I listened to her perspective and said that I
can only speak for myself and I know that I’m doing my part in reaching out
to districts. I did not take on something that wasn’t mine nor did I do
peace keeping behavior. I proposed an invitation to this GR if she wants to
move forward and start building service relationships regarding outreach
within her District and how Area can support. That made her pause and we
continued with the presentation.

This is a safe space for candid and insightful discussion. The WSO has
published an entire Conflict Resolution Kit. The Al-Anon Safety Statement
came out too with points on how to keep the group safe.

When was the last time ASP conducted a group inventory? That could be a
method to find solutions to get ideas. Our AMIAS group when in was living
in San Francisco had some group dissension among the sponsors and we took
an inventory and from that process, we came up with solutions to regain our
unity. Maybe there’s a group amends that needs to be done? There’s no shame
in being transparent with the ASP fellowship we are all equals in recovery.
There’s no such thing as scaring Newcomers with being transparent, honest,
and owning up in making an active effort in doing what’s right for our
unity and recovery.

With over 200 added people added to ASP on a monthly basis, most of them
New Comers, I think taking a fearless moral group inventory might be
helpful in searching for answers. If personal inventory helped the
individual, it might definitely be helpful for the group. And just like a
personal inventory, we don’t judge ourselves in the process we love
ourselves just as our HP loves us through the inventory processes no matter
what we write down.

Maybe with Business Meetings we can be flexible to have a conference call.
I have had Conference calls with WSO on outreach with the other Area
Coordinators. We were all on different times zones but it was OK and it
lasted an hour. I would like to have a business meeting platform that
allows the following:

1. Adequate time for discussion. I find that 1-2 hrs has been good enough
time for continuous dialogue. Follow group conscience if said topic during
this discussion allotted time needs to continue or if the group is ready
for a vote

2. Frequent Business Meetings: my SF AMIAS Business we’re Quarterly. My
Portland AMIAS Bus Are Monthly except for the Summer Months. We don’t meet
in the Summer.  My District was Monthly.

3. A time for celebration: December was our Holiday Potluck for San
Francisco District Bus mtg. no District Business just fellowship. For ASP,
it could be our Once a Year Speaker Meeting Conference Call Speaker Meeting
about service and Celebration of Recovery. Introducing Who’s Who’s
regarding who are the ASP trusted servants. Announcements of open service
and how important service within the context of Digital Al-Anon means.

4. Who’s the facilitator of the Business Meetings. I’m not clear who is.
This is my first experience doing an email exchange business meeting.

5. Minority Voices are recorded and published in the Groups Business
Meetings

6. I have been to some District meetings where they had a Traditions and
Concept Study before their district meeting or during the meeting someone
shared a Short ESH on a Tradition for that month and what it meant for
them. I found this to be helpful and keep me in focus that I’m here to
service and practice step 12 and practice Q-TIP. (quit taking it personal)