[Businessmtg] ASP Steering Committee Service Requirements

[Steve Rankin]

Hi ASPers,
I'd like to make a few comments and observations on this issue of reducing
the prerequisites for serving as an officer on the ASP Steering Committee.
1. There is a reason why many of us tell newcomers to the program "Don't
make any major changes in your first year of the program."  
The idea behind this is that some new to our program is going to be very
busy struggling to make program-oriented changes in how they live their
life.  Getting caught up in making other major changes is nearly always
counterproductive to genuine recovery.   One of the changes on the list of
things to not change is taking on new responsibilities at work.  While we do
encourage new members to get involved in service, we simply don't have the
traditional entry service jobs in our online meetings that exist in
face-to-face meetings; putting the chairs away, washing the coffee cups,
etc.  We also lack the direct personal interaction that comes with that kind
of service.  
2. It is worth remembering that the positions we are talking about are
"Officer" positions.  Unlike basic entry-level service positions, officer
positions carry much more responsibility with far less (if any) oversight
than routine service positions.  This goes beyond merely doing certain
tasks, but serving on the board of directors of a non-profit corporation
with legal responsibilities.  This is complicated by the fact that Al-Anon
service is guided by Al-Anon Traditions, Concepts in addition to the
policies and practices established in ASP.  The members of our Steering
Committee need to find that delicate balance between their legal
responsibilities and their Al-Anon Traditional responsibilities.  
3. It seems that some here want to rely on the that our voting a member into
a position is some kind of as a failsafe preventing us from electing the
wrong person to the Steering Committee.  If only this were so.  In my 40+
years of Al-Anon and 28 years of ASP, I have rarely seen a group NOT elect
any member that offered to serve.  If ANYONE makes themselves available,
most of the group will vote for them resulting in them being elected,
regardless of any red flags that surface in their resume or the discussion.

This problem isn't exclusive to ASP.  For example, I witnessed a group
re-elect a Treasurer who had not been in the meeting for almost a year, who
was not present during the election, but had told someone in the meeting
that she still wanted to be Treasurer, and last but not least. . . said she
did not plan on attending the meeting anymore anyway.  Sigh.  Yes, the group
never did see the money again.  
As for ASP?  I should point out that we have never not elected a candidate.
On the other hand, since the Fall 2017, over half of the members elected to
the Steering Committee have not worked out.  Two resigned under considerable
pressure in the Business Meeting, three resigned within a month or so, one
resigned about halfway through the term, and one was such a problem for the
Steering Committee that I can't even talk about it.  One of the biggest
problems we run into seems to be the number of members that get elected to
the Steering Committee that have a personal agenda that is behind their
desire to 'serve'.  What strikes me about this record is how having an
agenda about changing ASP is little different than wanting to change the
alcoholic.  It certainly doesn't look like accepting ASP for what it is, and
simply serving ASP in the position they volunteered for.  
Full disclosure.  It should be noted that members of the SC sometimes have
insight into these situations as a result of our history and service in ASP.
However, it would be highly inappropriate for us to "inform" the SC of our
prior experiences with members because of our position on the SC, so please
don't expect members of the SC to divulge privileged information about
candidates for office.  Not during an election process or any other time.
The good news is that these situations have had negligible effect on the ASP
recovery meeting and little if any effect on the Business Meeting.  However,
the effect on the Steering Committee has been substantial.  
4. Permitting the Steering Committee to recruit AND vet members for service
on the Steering Committee is VERY different from changing the minimum
requirement for a member to be defacto qualified for service on the Steering
Committee.  
Here is the process of the Steering Committee recommending a member, as I
see it:
    a. A member of the Steering Committee believes Member X could be a
valuable member of the Steering Committee
    b. That SC member approaches the member to see if they are interested.
The step most likely involves considerable briefing on the duties of the
position.  If Member X is interested, then. . .
    c.  That SC member discusses the matter openly with the entire SC.  If
the entire SC is interested, then . . . 
    d.  The SC interviews Member X in a Zoom meeting.  
    e.  The SC again discusses the situation & Member X privately in the SC.
If the SC agrees UNANIMOUSLY, then . . .
    f.  The SC recommends Member X to the Business Meeting, where the usual
election process begins.
Compare that to what we just did over the last two weeks. 
Why the Business Meeting would want to replace that process with one that,
for all practical purposes, bypasses it by allowing less qualified members
to volunteer and serve escapes me. 
5. It seems to me that many members in the Business Meeting believe that
service on the Steering Committee is suitable for beginners in Al-Anon
and/or ASP.  I have to disagree.  Please consider that we believe the ASP is
much more like an Area than a normal face-to-face group.  The typical f2f
group has a dozen or two members with 2-3 trusted servants - all of whom see
each other, and as a result get to know each other much easier and better
than we can do via email.  By comparison, ASP has nearly a thousand members,
roughly 200 of which are active, and we have over a dozen trusted servants:
5 elected officers, 7 Daily Chairs, 3 Greeters, 1 Recording Secretary, plus,
a defined structure, website, legit business bank account, bylaws, articles
of incorporation and IRS 501(c)3 status.  
If you look at the face-to-face service structure, you won't find any of
this - or the related responsibilities - in any face-to-face group until you
reach the District or Area level.  As a result, in the f2f Al-Anon service
structure, members who do get involved start out by becoming a Group Rep.
After 3 years, they are eligible to become a District Rep, and then after 3
years of that, they are eligible to be an officer in their Area.
6. It has been my personal experience that all too many members that do
become active in service BEFORE they have a well-developed Al-Anon program.
The result is invariably a focus on service vs. recovery.  Service in the
name of recovery is not the equivalent of recovery.  Sadly, the result is
all too often a perpetual focus on service over recovery, which does not
serve the member.  
7.  Lastly, I'd like to point out that Al-Anon is not something that we
graduate from.  I've yet to meet the person that used to work an Al-Anon
program, stopped going to meeting, and then some years later dropped by just
to tell us how wonderful life was.  Nope.  But, I have met many that stopped
going to meeting, and then some years later came back because they'd been
whupped by life again and needed to get back to Al-Anon.  
What's the rush to serve on the SC?  Do we need people to serve on the
Steering Committee?  Absolutely.  But we need good people with solid
programs that have a working foundation of both ASP and Al-Anon principles,
that simply want to join the good folks that serve on the Steering
Committee.
Love and SERENITY,
Steve






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