Whip them into shape?

[Eamonn]

We have a "New" District Chairman.

A truly wonderful fellow.

He is my best friend. So much so that in my will had anything ever happened to both me and HWMBO, he was the person we wanted to look after OJ.

I think the world of this guy and even though at times we do argue we have remained friends for the past 30 years.

He served as our District Chair. some time back. He was the Chairman twice, then we had another friend of mine, who only served two years of his 3 year term. He quit because the SE and him couldn't agree on the District financial goals. I had been District Commish and was asked to serve as District Chair.

Which I did. I served my 3 year term.

To be very honest I wasn't very happy serving as a District Chairman and was really happy when my 3 years were up.

I was a little upset when the person I had taken under my wing and had groomed to take my place was for some reason passed over for District Chairman. "My guy"?? Is /was the president of our local bank. My Mother-In-Law had been his Den Mother, he had a boy in the program. (Sadly the Lad who was one of OJ's best friends. Had an argument with his mother, left the house angry and mad and ended up crashing his car and killing himself.) The person the "Council" (The SE did override the nominating committee!!) stuck in to serve was a local attorney.

A nice enough fellow, but I think the SE wasn't very clear or very honest when he explained the position and what was entailed to him.

He didn't last a year.

I by this time had got involved with the Ship and rightly or wrongly was happy to let the District get on with whatever it was they were getting on with.

After the attorney departed somehow someway a guy who had served for a year as District Commissioner with me and just didn't get it!! Was asked to serve as Chairman.

He did a terrible job.

Things went from bad to being very bad. Everything seemed to be falling apart.

Things got so bad that the Council President stepped in and asked my good friend to come back and serve as Chairman.

Mike (My pal) really does have a wonderful understanding of the program and the workings of the BSA. I learned a lot from him. (He was my mentor when I served as WB CD).

The District Committee we have in place now is a shambles.

Some people openly admit that they are only there because they want to earn the knot/key!!

No one seems to grasp the idea of the function of the District.

Meetings seem to be about managing the next event that is coming along.

It's just a mess.

Mike seems to think that by doing things by the book and to the letter he will be able to whip this committee into shape.

I was at the first meeting he chaired and it seemed to me that a good many of the committee didn't get where he was coming from and it kinda looked to me as if he was coming on to strong.

Needless to say being as we are such good friends, I did tell him about this.

I think it fell on deaf ears. He is still going full steam ahead.

I think he needs to slow down a bit and try the softly, softly approach. Working with individual members of the committee one on one but this isn't happening.

He has asked me to present a District Committee Training next month.

I of course said that I would.

The syllabus for the training is not the greatest. I'm meeting with him to see what he wants to do!!

While he hasn't as yet really said anything!! I get the impression that he really doesn't want to be the Chair and might have promised the Council President that he will do it for a year until he trains someone else.

We have a brand new DE who really seems to have the makings of being outstanding.

We have a SE who is due to start next month or the month after.

For my part? I don't mind helping out. In part to help Mike and because he has asked me.

But there is no way I want to ever serve as Chair again.

Sadly last week we found out the cancer we thought we had beaten has returned. HWMBO (Jamie) Started another round of chemotherapy last week.

Any and all prayers and kind thoughts would be very much appreciated.

Right now I feel like I have been kicked in the gut.

Much as I want to help the District get back on track and help my pal. I just don't have the time.

Working with people one on one is the way that I'd try and get things done.

Sadly he seems to want to hit everyone over the head with the book and almost bully them into following the book to the letter.

It might be that we are just two very different people who do things very differently?

I of course hope and wish that what he does, even if I'm not in total agreement with it works and I'm willing to support him in all of his efforts.

Eamonn.

[Gunny2862]

Bullying might work if he had a hold on them. But we are volunteers - we need to team build not crush volunteer spirit. It might be good to remind him that he can't punish anyone into doing their job. It may be that they NEED the training and might start performing if they were all trained. Or if past members could be asked back to mentor the current board. Or both.

 

Sorry for HWMBO's issues. Take care of her and yourself.

[kb6jra]

Eamonn,

 

Bless your wife and your family. I will certainly keep you all in my thoughts and prayers.

 

You're friend can probably handle things at the district committee, you have other more important things to deal with.

 

 

[Lisabob]

Eamonn,

 

You and your family will be in my thoughts.

 

Let others worry about the district committee for a bit and don't take it on your shoulders if your friend's approach doesn't go smoothly all the time. To be honest, with a committee in the shape you describe, any approach is bound to have some big bumps in the road.

 

 

[Gold Winger]

I think that the problem is with committees in general, especially the chairmen. My son's troop used to have these incredibly long meetings where every nuance of everything was discussed in incredible detail, even the details of the details were discussed.

 

Then the new chair came into power. Her job is teaching companies how to run meetings. Wow! What a difference. Meetings stayed on track. Sub-committtee heads gave their reports. Business that should be relegated to a sub-committee meeting was cut off. Bada-bing, bad-boom. No more endless discussions about cotton vs. cotton-poly for the t-shirts.

 

The same was true of my old district. The first chair that I knew was a president of a large real estate company. The next was CEO of a large financial company. Meetings were right on track. Subcommittees were left to do their jobs. My new district has meetings where the color of jelly beans for the camporee is the subject of endless debate. Consequently, nothing ever gets done.

 

Bullying might not be the way to get things done, even in the world of paid folks. However, if someone isn't doing their job or willing to get in step with the way that the chair wants things done, maybe it is time to fire him and find someone new.

 

People often say, "You can't fire volunteers." Sure you can. If he's not doing his job and making your life more difficult, get rid of him. It can be hard to do because we view many of these people as friends but you have to do it. Maybe you need to find someplace where the person's skill are better suited or maybe he shouldn't be in charge and is better off as a worker.

 

Unless you need to stay involved with Scouting for your own sanity, don't worry about. If you need to support your wife, let the district go to hell in a handbasket.

 

Years ago my wife was battling breast cancer. My officiating assigner normally viewed cancelling assignments as second only to taking money to throw a game. He surprised the heck out of me when he said, "If you need to take care of your wife, I don't care if you cancel five minutes before the game starts. You do what you have to do." The same goes for Scouting.

[pargolf44067]

Eamonn,

 

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your wife. I hope things go well this time.

 

I am with everyone else here, let others worry about Scouting, your worries are much more important.

 

Bill

[dan]

Eamonn

Your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

Sounds like the New DC and I would get along just fine. If he came in and said we are going to do it by the book and get it done, I would be on board in a minute.

[scoutldr]

Our SE uses the WTIS method. It doesn't work with volunteers and a lot of good ones, myself included, have been driven off because of it. You and Jamie are in my prayers. Scouting is just a game. Take care of your wife.

[Bob White]

PM to Eamonn