Is it me? Or is this typical?

[moosetracker]

Ok I have been on this forum writing, writing, writing for over a year.. I personally feel my writing style is much more personable then my in-person style.. In person I am a very shy person.. So am I wrong, do I have a friendly writing style (forget when I am on my soap box about pet peeves)..

 

So as stated in another thread, I am on WB staff as a TG.. Our group have several projects to work on, our 3 presentations, and our TG project. I know more will be added (divvying up the skits, and other small parts) .. So after our first Staff meeting I sent out the first Lets start sharing ideas email.. Here are some photos I have collected for organizing my first flip book, here a flipbook or two on the web that you can use for a base and alter.. I have asked to borrow an awesome flipbook from someone I know..

 

Then also on project.. In a casual conversation about 4 of us discussed the LNT, what do the rest of you guys think about this idea? One concern is if we can tie it into Varsity.. Some of you are LDS, do you have any insight into what in Varsity would use LNT? Do you have any other ideas for projects you want to kick around.. ETC..

 

Then one TG was absent, one left early so I kindof summed up the staff meeting for them.

 

Responses back were Thanks.. I was there.. (absent TG) Sorry I had to back out wont be a TG.. and one guy who asked for a little help as he was not familure with searching the web for the flipbooks, and figured out he needed to get ppt, which his son is helping him with. This is when I asked you guys about LNT and Varsity..

 

When picking up the flipbook I said something to the past TG.. She said that was her group too.. She would email and get no response which frustrated her, but recommended that I keep emailing..

I did a few updates to this.. TG so & so informed me he had to back out, so there are only 7 of us.. I was able to secure the flipbook from the other TG, needs to be scanned it though.. (NOTHING)..

 

I then met the ASM of TG at a Council meeting (He asked to be cc'd on our email discussions). He thanked me for sending out the emails, I asked him about the responses.. His response was "Yeah that's typical.".

 

 

Yesterday morning I again sent out a summary of the info I got from you on LNT & Varsity.. And concluded that I was warming to this idea, as I was myself learning new things, and I thought we could put on a real eye-opening presentation.. Concluded with What do you think?

 

(Nothing, not one response)

 

Ok it is only 24 hours since that email.. Maybe all my TGs left the first staff meeting and went on week long vacations.. Maybe I am too charged up and wanting to get going and get organized, and my fellow TGs are all procrastinators who wait until midnight of the day they have to present before they say Wow, maybe I should put something together.".)..

 

All I know is I am not feeling the loving I am at a crossroads of do I continue to email with what I am doing and the progress I am making, or settle into the group not make noise and become a fellow deadhead?..

 

Honestly during the course they talked and laughed with me.. Seemed interested in discussing and picking a topic, and offering workshops we could meet to work on the project etc.. In person they all seemed excited and charged up as I was.. I didn't leave the place feeling I was disliked, or not fitting in.. Now with the responses I get from my emails I am sort of feeling "Not accepted" by the group..

 

Is my writing style something that puts people off? Am I too over-bearing, or bossy.. (again, in normal conversation, not on topics that have me on my soapbox)..

 

[Trevorum]

nah, you're just enthusiastic! And in Scouting, that's s good thing. Don't worry about making the others comfortable. I've been on a WB few courses now and have oserved that each TG has their own style. Somehow it always fits together into a great course. Just keep remembering, it's all for the participants.

[Basementdweller]

I believe responding to an email is a courtesy issue...just to let the sender know that you received it.....

 

I send emails to 100 scout families and rarely get a response.

 

IOLS staff are the same way.........some don't own a computer.......some don't have internet and some don't give a hoot. Just saying.

 

Rude but typical

[pchadbo]

Moose, Welcome to the club!!! I send emails to the pack leadership and can count on 1-2 responses from the 10 or so leaders. I send emails to the entire pack, 50-60 people and expect 5-7 responses. Frustrating? Yes Normal? Yes. Just you? No. Keep on keeping on as you are because I have found from an experiment, people actually read them they just don't respond.

[moosetracker]

I just remember when I was in WB our patrol was just a chatterbox in emails between each other in order to organize the patrol project, and the patrol meals. Although I do know that our TG said he won some bet on who would have the most vocal group between weekends.. And our patrol never did do a mid-meeting just pulled it together through emails, and assembled it at our campsite in the evening after we regrouped on the second weekend..

 

I do get some of that sending out email to my trainers.. I have figured out that no response means "Sorry, can't make it.." Although every now and then, I get a crest fallen trainer who is shocked I assigned a peice that normally goes to them because after 2 to 3 emails with no response, I just assumed that they weren't making the training..

 

When I send out an eblast to the whole district, I am greatful I do not get 500 emails back from it..

 

Well I think what I can do solo on the project has come to a grinding halt.. But, I will continue with my solo act and keeping them informed how I am coming with my presentations..

 

Our Troop was always very vocal in emails.. But the Pack was in a time when counting on most people having email was not a smart thing.. It was more half & half of our group.

 

I guess I just don't have too much experience in what to expect.

[qwazse]

Some of the best scouters don't respond to E-mails.

Some folks inboxes are over-loaded.

Life is hard. I can imagine some TG's have a vision of being devoted to their patrol %100; to their fellow staff, not so much!

Now you understand how hard it is to be a Patrol Leader sometimes!

 

Try a phone call. Especially if there's a task to assign. "Hey, I was calling because I'm looking for a favor and you were at the top of my list ..."

[Tampa Turtle]

I do not think it is your language. Last year our Troop online discussions were burning up the keyboards; this year very little. I have observed this in other groups I belong as well.

 

I am not sure why. I know the older the folks I deal (45+) with the more I communicate with them by phone or email. The younger guys (25 and under) seem to be texting and rarely even read an email. The folks in the middle I do not know.

 

Also folks get barraged by email; it could simply be buried.

 

However in general it seems the etiquette of actually responding to a request, pro or con, seems to be dying out. It gets harder and harder to nail down a meeting or attendance with anyone; so much is done on the fly.

 

I would not worry about your writing style; though I thought you were a guy--probably associate a handle with "Moose" in it as masculine.

[moosetracker]

TT wrote : I thought you were a guy--probably associate a handle with "Moose" in it as masculine.

 

LOL.. My son's nickname is Moose.. I picked up this moniker when he was in his mid-teens and I was forever trying to track him down..

[Twocubdad]

Part of WB is modeling a troop and patrol. I'd say you're getting the full experience. How many times have we all seen enthusaistic PL take the job and run into a bunch of lumps who don't care?

[moosetracker]

LOL TwoCub... Too True!

 

Well I am not the official Team Leader, we did not pick one of those.. So calling and assigning to me, would be kindof bossy, where as emailing to the group and saying let me share with you whilst you share with me, did not..

 

As for text messaging, I never took to it myself, and I do believe there is a mix of home phones & cell phones on my phone list.. Also on my first email one of my questions was if they would prefer a different format over email.. Such as text messaging (which I would have to learn..) or facebook (which I would need to get an account to and learn).. Or if someone had access to a chat room, or knew how to set up phone conferencing, or whatever..

[Tampa Turtle]

My son's nickname was "skunky" for...obvious reasons. So "Moose" not so bad.

[kari_cardi]

I agree, I think it is typical for people to not respond to emails. After realizing that I don't respond to emails that don't ask for a response or that bury the request, I've started adding that request right up front. It helps. The first line of the email body will say something like 'I need an answer by Thursday if this is a go, please let me know whether you agree or not.' Then I summarize the topic under consideration. Try not to make people scroll, they won't read that far. Short and sweet with specific instructions.

 

I get a crazy amount of emails every day, I try to think about that and work to help people give me what I need from them.

 

And FWIW, I enjoy reading your posts, moosetracker.

[AKdenldr]

I'm finding that folks are using email differently then they did only a few years ago. I think part of it is that they are reading on their smart phones and not at a sit down computer at their desk.

 

I'm now sending out emails with "RESPONSE REQUiRED" or "ACTION" in the subject line. There is a feature in my email that asks for a response email back. This only works on some folks email addresses.

 

But bottom line, I am calling folks more. Folks are using their phones differently also, so now you can usually catch them on their cells. I start off with, "I hadn't heard from you on my email request....." Almost always they read the email but didn't act on it (check their calendar, think about it,.... whatever.)

 

How big is your patrol anyways? I'd call.

 

-- AK

[boomerscout]

First, make sure you're on their approved email lists. Otherwise, your email is sent out to the aether by their spam filters

Too many emails are of the FYI form. Ask for a commitment or ask a question in the email header. At least state "RSVP is needed for xxxx - please reply"

[Papadaddy]

I think it's the current culture. My son got married last November. 2 weeks before the wedding, we were chasing people down to extract an RSVP from them. Most would say, "of course, we're coming, didn't I send that in?" Um, no. And of an invitation list of 200 people, 50 responded YES...then didn't show up, resulting in a lot of wasted money. Partially balanced by some who brought their 3 kids because, "we thought it would be ok". Again, um, no, it was an adults-only dinner, at almost $100 each. People are just rude, ignorant, self-absorbed, whatever adjective applies...it stinks.