[22799] in APO-L
Re: [APO-L] Extension
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Rich Quodomine)
Wed Jul 17 22:13:13 2002
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 22:13:05 -0400
Reply-To: Rich Quodomine <aposatan@HOTMAIL.COM>
From: Rich Quodomine <aposatan@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
Frank makes some excellent points. As a member of the National Retention
Subcomm of M&E, and having worked in Membership for the past 4 years, I
think there's a further element we have forgotten.
THe ability to see ahead. To see the problems before they rip apart a
chapter. Obviously it's too broad a topic here to just say "problems", but
each chapter has a set of successes and challenges. It is not only whether
or not they succeed, but how they succeed and learn for the next time that
matters. If a problem is solved (like a big project), but half of the
chapter's members involved with it quit, is that a good solution? In order
to survive, a chapter must find a way to effectively recognize and act out
of thinking, rather than react and just "clean up the mess". I have seen
chapters stable at 15 members, and chapter that grow to 70 only to drop to
15 2 years later for failing to recruit properly and allow everyone to grow
and feel productive. They failed to see that the 70 was senior-heavy and a
great deal of apathy had become the norm. Thus when some ringleaders
graduated, the others sort of "disappeared". That chapter is in far greater
trouble than the one that has stayed stable at 15 in my experience.
THoughts?
-- Rich
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