[Businessmtg] Service Requirements

[Anne]

Hi all,

 

I am responding to the topic as a member of ASP and of the business meeting
and NOT as facilitator.

 

I have heard discussions  both for and against reducing the Steering
Committee Service requirement from 1 year to 6 months.  I am in favor of
moving to a 6 month minimum because after many years in Al-Anon, I don't
think that having many years will necessarily make one more qualified to
serve.  I think what we  as members should do, is ask more questions of
those that step forward.  We need to listen and learn.  I have been a member
of the Steering Committee since 2006, with 3 years off between 2014 and
2017.  I have listened and learned here as well as now as a GR with other
GR's in the forming of our new electronic area.  

 

My observation for some time now is that some  in service equate autonomy
with anarchy.  Sounds dramatic I know. lol.  While we are free to do our
"jobs" in a manner that suits us, we are bound by the traditions and
concepts and structure that is put into place at our meetings and
assemblies.   These positions are NOT like the positions you would  see in a
face to face meeting there are more entry level positions in F2F.  However,
just like the online meeting, F2F meeting members are bound by the
traditions, concepts and structure put into place there as well.  Our
leaders are but trusted servants they do not govern - following the
traditions, concepts and agreed upon structure is NOT governance.  

 

***Some examples of autonomy in the service I have done: 

The  Greeter Chair and Greeter roles-  As Greeter Chair I can choose when I
do my work as long as I communicate with the Greeter team so that they know
when I am online and available.  I have a set of steps that I follow and
share those with the Greeters who also have a set of steps to follow - the
greeters have a script that they use to be sure that they are consistently
sharing key pieces of information with  the newcomers.    It takes about a
month for everyone to get used to each other and the steps and the work
flows.  

 

The Treasurer is responsible for managing the ASP funds - donations and
expenses, balancing the account and providing a ledger/register to meeting
members who are able to confirm their donation was received and deposited.
The Treasurer inherits the material from the previous treasurer and then
follows the process, reporting in to the business meeting each month.  The
treasurer's autonomy is that they can choose when to go to the post office
and when to make PayPal transfers.  

 

This month, I am the bus meeting facilitator and have gotten a lot of
support from my Steering committee colleagues.

 

These roles are administrative in nature, and don't take years of Al-Anon
membership or ASP membership to perform and then how we interact with each
other and members needs to be done with respect.  We want people willing to
serve and to follow the traditions and concepts, have open discussions and
an open mind.   There can be some heated discussions, and one needs to
remember- Personal progress for the greatest number depends on unity and
that one must place principles above personalities.  Easy to say and
sometimes hard to do!

 

Where we, as a Steering Committee, can do better and we are actively working
on this, is with documented procedures for each role so that we have
something to point to and the trusted servant has something to reference.  I
think it is working well, and as newly  elected trusted servants join us
that can feel comfortable that they will get the support they need.

 

I am off track a bit, but as people have mentioned recently, those
tumultuous times were filled with people with years of ASP and Al-Anon
service.  This simply tells me that I can be comfortable reducing the
service requirement to 6 months if I really listen to the person who wants
to step up to the position.

 

Thanks for listening..

 

I am truly a grateful member of ASP and Al-Anon, 

 

Anne