[Businessmtg] Summary of Service Discussion to Date
List Administrator
la at asp-afg.org
Thu Sep 26 10:25:29 PDT 2019
All,
It is clear that this discussion of ASP service difficulties will be
revisited in November and perhaps longer to reach solutions. Current and
future service vacancies, left unfilled, may well cripple ASP's ability
to continue offering the fantastic recovery meetings we now host.
Meanwhile some ASP service opportunities which would provide ASP members
with the ASP service experience our Group Conscience requires for
Steering Committee positions continue to be unfilled.
It is my hope that solutions to ASP's service problems will come from
our continuing discussions. Toward that end I have assembled the
September contributions of our BM members into this document for your
records and review. Let's build on this and come up with directions
which will allow ASP recovery to be here for all those affected by
alcoholism, present and future, who come to us to find solutions.
[I'm heading into the deep northern woods tomorrow, but will have my
trusty mobile hotspot on hand for use in the evenings. ~ Jerry]
= = = = = = =
September, 2019 BM Input Summaries
Ideas for Improving ASP Service in the order of receipt.
[Some reformatting. Copy limited to parts focused on service positions.]
----------------------------------------
>From Opening:
"...Discussion of the lingering ASP service position vacancies and
suggestions for how we might overcome this difficulty would be
appropriate.
The September Business Meeting is now open.
----------------------------------------
BM Member Input:
~ Kim C.:
*Everyone looks forward to the chair's mail showing up in their daily
email. Perhaps the daily chair can announce the upcoming business
meeting.
We all get to know them. The members I was attracted to were all in
service. Our other serving members here at ASP may not necessarily be
known.
* Or perhaps the chair can announce the need, requirement and who to
contact for questions or interest.
* Perhaps each of us who do regularly participate can use our shares
to tell our service recovery story the week following the announcement.
* Shorten the commitment time.
* Do away with the resume for group service. It sounds like a job I
need to know how to do before I apply.
~ Anne O.:
As we continue to discuss service this month, I'd like you to consider
how we can attract more members to service. Our last discussion on the
greeter role flopped without any real solutions to the problem. It is
for that
reason that I, as a member of the Steering Committee, continue to
request that service discussions be our main focus in these business
meetings. In my opinion the other topics need to wait. We can't
pretend it is business as usual if we don't have the service
participation that is needed. Without members stepping forward for
service we cannot survive. In addition to Kim's service extension as a
Greeter, there was at least one Meeting chair who extended their service
commitment. And then on the Steering Committee, Jerry has been wearing
two hats for a very long time, this goes against all our Al-Anon
guidelines, plus his workload has increased two fold. Not fair to him
at all. Steve has also stepped in to fill gaps, currently keeping an
eye on our treasury but not passing the basket.
We have a handful of very vocal business meeting members who will not
consider change and dig in their heels during discussion, stating all
the reasons why we shouldn't change. I would really like to see those
members step forward and offer solutions. We get some vague statements
during brainstorming that don't seem to gain any traction.
If I seem frustrated, well I am. I continue to volunteer for positions
because service is important to me and ASP has been a lifeline for me
going back to the early 2000's. I am very aware that my Steering
Committee participation has also exceeded the Al-Anon guidelines, that
in itself makes me uncomfortable.
~ Anne O. responding to Kim's input:
Hi Kim,
Thanks for sharing your constructive thoughts on this topic.
-I really like the idea of the meeting chairs participating in
announcements. Certainly, we have a captive audience when they chair.
Many if not most of the F2F meetings I have attended, have announcements
shared ahead of the meeting. Given the nature of email, it might make
sense to have the Meeting Chair for the day send the recruitment message
just ahead of the meeting.
-We could also ask that chair to tie Service into the meeting they lead
at the time we are recruiting
-Shorten the commitment time has also been floated. Meeting chairs
serve 6 months and Greeters 12 months. The Steering Committee positions
are 3 yrs. which can be daunting. I wonder if for the Steering
Committee, we might change to 1 yr. with the option to stay on for 3
yrs.
-the resume has targeted questions about your Al-Anon and ASP experience
and you really don't need to know the job before you volunteer. The
resume is part of volunteering for the Steering committee, not the
greeter or meeting chair positions.
~ Darlene:
I have been on ASP for a little over a year now and have done no service
work except to read and share and participate in several business
meetings. I know that service is important not only to this group but
to my recovery; however, I find it quite intimidating and I am reluctant
to jump in over my - something I've done in the past. I have been to
f2f meetings but my service there was closely monitored and very
limited. That is why I wanted to participate at business meetings first
before putting myself out there for 1-3 years. Very overwhelming and my
computer tech knowledge is not the greatest - although I work on a
computer for my job as a paralegal.
However, in the year that I have been on ASP, I have come to rely on its
daily presence, the shares that I read, and those who share - miles away
and yet more intimate than some of the people I see on a daily basis. I
understand the importance of service to keep something so important
running to not overburden or should I say continue to overburden the
Steering Committee.
My challenge so far has been where to begin. Do I have and ideas? since
I'm just learning, I'm not sure what to recommend, but maybe lowering
the service times as Anne mentioned or even if one of the daily Chairs
was shared between newbie service Chairs to help them integrate into
service.
~ Veronica:
1. I really LOVE the idea of the Chair to make a service announcement.
Be transparent with the state of the Union to the general list serve
that we have current trusted servant doing double duty.
2. Service Resumes are perfectly acceptable and I feel are needed for
some of the Key positions like Secretary and Treasurer. Having an
readily accessible internet connection is most Definitely a requirement.
We are an online meeting. This isn't meant to be taken personal. Maybe
give a different title "Get to Know You Form" especially when it comes
to the Treasurer Position. In the Regular F2F service elections we ask
candidates who are running questions. Service is for fun and for free. I
would love to have questions on the resume that ask "How do you make
service fun when there's a task that's associated to the service
position that is boring or challenging"
3. Have the topic of service as part of the topic schedule. Not just for
Al-Anon service but especially for ASP type service. Online Service I'm
Finding is different than F2F service. It can be impersonal at times so
working a program and doing service where you most likely may never meet
some of the ASP people, how does ASP service keep it personal for you
would be a great question to address on the topic.
4. We get hundreds of new members way more New Comers than what a F2F
meeting deals with. I like having New Comer meetings where even if they
haven't reach the year mark, your posting is service and it counts and
you are contributing.
5. Adopting the attitude of We Do Our Best even in Service will go a
long way for the people who maybe shy to come forward, but have the
skill set to do an excellent job. Being aware to give that bit of
encouragement can go a long way. I have done it and I have witnessed it.
~ Jerry:
...Al-Anon meeting do occasionally disband. Face-to-Face meetings can
usually weather a shortage or absence of service workers - at least for
a while. This is not the case for online Al-Anon meetings. There is
daily work which needs done and without it the meeting can not
function...
...Either we have some members start sharing the service load using the
current qualifications, or the qualifications will have to change to
make folks who are willing to serve eligible. Or, I suppose, we could
vote to return ownership of ASP - now held by the ASP membership - back
to Steve R. our founder provided he's willing.
~ Laurie FJ:
...Is it true that you also cannot be a member of AA or a double winner
(both in Al.Anon and AA )? On other words only members who have no cross
addictions can qualify?...Could this be a disqualification of more than
we think?
~ Jerry:
ASP, by group conscience, has agreed that members of AA are not eligible
to stand for or hold any ASP service position which includes service on
ASP's Steering Committee.
~ Beverly:
Hi everyone. I have two suggestions, baby steps, if you will. And btw,
I understand how easy it is to sit here and make the suggestions. I
have a sincere appreciation and gratitude for those that choose to and
continue to serve. Jerry spoke about sharing the service load on Sept
7. One of the things that came to my attention was to have the
webmaster create a webpage listing all of our business meeting agenda
topics and who submitted them. The list would then become part of our
archives, similar to the motions list. This list could be done and
submitted by the webmaster at the beginning of the BM. Instead of
having the LA do it. I am in favor of Steve R. suggestion to make the BM
quarterly. We could discuss, go thru the formal process, vote on it and
do it on an as needed basis. For times such as this.
~ Anne O.:
I hope we can keep our focus on service and not the other ideas that are
floating around. As I see it we have a real crisis to address. Based
on what I have read so far, I think there is some fear among those who
are qualified but not ready because they might be afraid of making
mistakes. We all make mistakes, we learn from our mistakes and should
feel supported by our business meeting and steering committee members.
If someone has an issue with the mistake, that is theirs to deal with as
part of their recovery and is not on you. Having a service sponsor or
an Al-Anon friend on hand to help you remember that is always wise. In
my experience there are very few of our members who will expect
perfection.
So with that said, can we maybe run with Kim's suggestion that has the
meeting chair providing service announcements ahead of their opening?
-upcoming business meetings
-meeting chair and greeter opening
~ Anne K.:
While the suggestions currently offered up do deal with distribution of
workload, they do not address the lack of volunteers and that there are
4 people on the Steering Committee doing the work of 7. I agree with
Anne O that we focus on considering how to attract participants to the
business meeting which hopefully will lead to volunteers for these
service positions.
~ Anne O.:
-to further clarify my position on the daily chair and announcements.
Kim had originally suggested this, I was just piggy backing on to what I
think is a good suggestion for attracting our members to participating
in Business Meetings and volunteering for the Greeter and Meeting Chair
positions. All 3 of these service options are stepping stones to the
Steering Committee positions. We have only 12 ASP members
participating in the Business Meeting, a fraction of our active members.
We also get little response from the members when we are ready to
rotate meeting chairs and greeter chairs. So with that said, I agree
with Kim that our members look forward to the daily meetings and we have
a captive audience who might pay more attention to the calls for service
if they were part of the chairs opening. We could add announcements to
the chairs duties the week before the bi-monthly business meeting or the
annual/semi-annual call for service rotation.
~ Jerry:
- First off, it is the assigned job of the Secretary to post the BM
announcement along with the SC's agenda for the BM 7 days before the BM
begins. That needs done by the Secretary by long-standing group
conscience.
- Additionally, I believe we would have to have a BM group
conscience agreement to make this change to the daily meeting formats.
- ASP topic meetings are not supposed to include ASP business.
- Removing these Secretary's duties transfers assigned elected
officer duties to unelected, appointed topic chairs.
- While this would get info into the topic meetings presumably 7
times in addition to the Secretary's announcement, I wonder about this
interfering with the topic meetings. I see BM questions then being posed
by members in the recovery meeting when business issues are not, repeat
not, to be discussed there. I don't see how this could be avoided.
- The simplest fix is usually the best fix - and that's to get a
Secretary elected to do the required job(s).
* * * * *
- Creating a web page for the agenda is a good idea. I believe the
SC could do this administratively without requiring a BM group
conscience. The LA would send the agenda items directly to the webmaster
for posting (or the webmaster simply picks it up from the BM
announcement), likewise for the suggested BM topics that aren't yet on
an agenda.
~ Laurie FJ:
I like this idea:
- Creating a web page for the agenda is a good idea. I believe the
SC could do this administratively without requiring a BM group
conscience. The LA would send the agenda items directly to the webmaster
for posting (or the webmaster simply picks it up from the BM
announcement), likewise for the suggested BM topics that aren't yet on
an agenda.
Additionally:
*As for getting more qualified ASP members to attend Busines Meetings *
* therefore be qualified to serve as LA or Sec.. I liked the idea of the
topic chairs announcing it but I see the conflict Jerry posed in his
email so I see why we cant do that. *
*My observations:*
* Asp members have to be reading their email regularly /and have a
relativey organized approach to emails.. to know when BMeetings occurs,
some may be missing it all together. Or not interested/too nervous to
attend.?*
*Is it possible to send a email 2 weeks before the next BM.. asking ASP
members if they are interested in attending a BM but are nervous too
attened bc they dont know what it entails? Then ..give them 3 email
address of people who have attended BMs for them to ask questions. *
*Right now it seems we have to get more qualified people to attend BMs
and then go from there.*
~ Darlene:
I do qualify for a service position - been in ASP for 15 months, am a
member of Al-anon only but have done no other service, besides a packing
up books and moving chairs at f2f meetings. I am ready to begin
service, but am apprehensive about beginning - especially in such a
position as Secretary or Treasurer. FEAR!!!! Length of time, computer
abilities, etc.). I joined the business meeting to hopefully help me
understand how the ASP online meeting works. So the decision is - jump
into the shallow end? (chair, greeter) or into the deep end (steering
committee) and hope someone throws me a life preserver?
~ Kim:
I wish I knew why ASP eligible members are not attending business
meetings and answering call to service? I suggest a survey. How can we
make a month long email business meeting welcoming and attractive?
*Stop judging ideas shared.
*Stop agreeing emails they do not add to the discussion.
* Use KBDM questions to move us through the process.
~ Laurie FJ:
...This is the discussion phase, as Jerry/pointed out in his email. And
if we just stay silent bc we "agree" it looks like lack of participation
which doesnt add any value either? And if we disagree , its not
necessarily judgement..its called discussion?
~ BJ:
...Personally, from what I have observed … the length of time required
for some service jobs here may be too long and the requirements for any
or all service jobs may be too 'strict', seemingly written in stone. To
me that is possibly one reason ASP is in the position with lack of
service volunteers that it is now. How about cutting down on the number
of weekly meetings? Revising the length(s) of membership required for
some service jobs. Revising the treasury situation? ... just to name a
few. Service in one f2f situation counts toward service in other
meetings in the f2f world....
~ Anna:
...I notice a lot of demands of we *have* to get others involved, even
now wanting to mention business on the main list with everyone. Not
everyone is here for business.
...It seems we have some people who'd be more then happy to participate
(myself), but they don't have enough time....So has anyone thought of
changing this? I know we voted last month, but still. I think more could
be done.
...has anyone ever thought to make an emergency decision that until we
have people step up that have the proper time we will allow those who
don't meet exact criteria to help out?
...Another thing is the 3 years for the steering committee, 1 year is
plenty. We do not govern, and are supposed to rotate (often). 6 months
to a year is enough. Perhaps people don't want to be locked in that
long?
Anne O.:
...I believe that this discussion should be open to thoughtful change
that may span several business meetings.
...Addressing some of the thoughts floated already...:
- The secretary and the greeter chair already interrupt the meeting
when recruiting for business meeting participants, meeting chairs and
greeters. They can still design the announcement but we may get more
eyes on the announcement if it is delivered by meeting chairs.
- Length of service is another item that could be considered too, I am
not sure how or when the 3 year commitment for Steering Committee
positions was established or why there is resistance to discussing this
change. Perhaps I am misreading what others have shared.
- Length of membership in ASP prior to serving, we chose 12 months in
2006 for the two entry level service positions, Meeting Chair and
Greeter. What makes 12 months a better marker than 6 months or 8
months?
- The Steering Committee positions are primarily administrative, the
expectations for those positions needs to be re-examined. I believe we
tell people they can put as much or as little time in as they can and
that they will be supported by the members of the SC and BM while they
serve. Recently, it seems the Steering Committee is being held to a
higher standard. We need to be forgiving of mistakes made, this may
help with attraction.
~ Sarah:
- I like the idea of changing the terms for service, as 3 years would be
daunting to me, if I were eligible to serve.
- I think a topic on service weekly is a great idea. It is a crucial
part of Al-Anon and allows us to use all the legacies in navigating
recovery.
- The idea of daily chairs announcing the Business Meeting is worth a
shot.
- I suggested a few months ago that these types of emails be sent to the
whole of ASP in order that all understand the situation. Many who read
it will not qualify to serve the Steering Committee, however, it may
spark more interest in the other positions (greeters, daily chairs) and
in the Business Meeting itself
~ Jerry:
ASP is, as some have inferred, boxed in when it comes to filling officer
service slots.
A. On one side we have the requirement for one year of prior ASP
service.
> This severely limits the pool of folks who qualify. On top of this
we limit who can and who can't serve in other ASP service positions (ie.
greeter and topic chairs) - positions which would result in more members
accruing the year of prior service necessary for officer positions.
B. On another we have the requirement for active participation in ASP.
> This also limits how many folks qualify. Of course letting members
who have little or no experience with Al-Anon, ASP, or knowledge of
howand why ASP works doesn't make sense. Likewise, members who do not
participate are unknown personalities and including them in leadership
positions would be unwise and possibly dangerous for the group.
C. On yet another we've had a recent history of rancor at the officer
service level.
> Past rancor in the service ranks has contributed to an
unwillingness to serve. Very Al-Anon of us. Somebody argues their point
strenuously, somebody disagrees, and everybody heads for the hills.
Personality conflicts are a part of life. Disagreements are inevitable.
Expecting service to always be free of conflict is unrealistic.
D. As a result of officer vacancies, we've had the remaining officers
performing way more work than they signed up for - leading to the
appearance that service at the officer level is just more than anybody
wants to step into.
> Fewer yet are willing to serve knowing that service may lead to
overload. I believe this is a common problem in Al-Anon, not specific to
ASP. I suspect it's more prevalent in online meetings because fewer
people have sponsors who, in the old F2F days, "dragged" their sponsees
into service ["Get in the Car!"] Willingness didn't always precede that
first entry into service.
E. ASP officer positions are filled from the Business Meeting ranks.
> I have to agree that we need to find a way to get more members into
the Business Meeting. In the short term this may have the result of a
continuing inability to pass motions [inexperienced BM members tend to
more often vote "abstain" or not vote at all which, as ASP currently
counts votes, count as "NO" votes.] Making announcements in the recovery
meeting - more (and more informative) announcements - seems to be the
only way to go about this without including them in the daily topic
formats (these formats not being read through by most/ anyway.)
F. Shorter term Steering Committee positions aren't being announced or
filled.
> According to ASP's Founding Statement and Policies, "The Steering
Committee is composed of all elected officers, Chair persons of
committees (but not sub-committees), two 'founders' (the original
founders of A Serenity Place or those most nearly so), and two general
members of A Serenity Place." The General Member positions have a
6-month commitment, more acceptable for some members wanting to get into
service without dedicating three years. More active committees would
bring new talent into SC service. Filling the second "founder" position
would add stability. Note that the Founding Statement and Policies can
be changed only through a discussion and affirmative vote by the entire
membership of ASP; neither the SC or the BM has the power to make
changes to this. We ought to be filling these empty slots.
-
END as of 9/26 AM
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