Is it me? Or is this typical?

[Scoutfish]

Very typical, very commom.

 

We send ouit e-mails for everything! EVERYTHING!!!

 

We also put it on our web site, our facebook page, and announce ity at den and pack meetings...repeatedly ...months and weeks ahead of time.

 

And somebody will always say" Nobody told me!" or "I didn't know/ hear about that!"

 

"When did you decide that?"

 

This includes all the people who volunteer too.

[Lisabob]

In the course of a typical day I will get 200+ work emails. Many are garbage that I wish our quasi-corporate (public university) structure would dispense with because they're totally useless to me. Some are commercial in nature and tied to my work identity.

 

I have 3 or 4 email accounts to try to separate work email from family email from scouting email...etc. I have one account I give out for spam purposes (online orders, junk mail, website registrations, and when I feel leery about the purpose to which someone wants to put my email address.)

 

I never, ever, check my spam/junk account. I check the family account and the scout account about once a week (I don't currently hold any scouting positions that would require more frequent checks and in a pinch my family all have a working phone # for me). I check work email daily and spend about an hour deleting crap.

 

I use facebook for a number of things that are more immediate. But I'm quite selective about who I'll "friend" and grant access to. And for scouting, I find facebook doesn't work well among scouting adults.

 

So. Depending on priorities and what address they gave you, your scouter folks might not see your email in a timely manner. Might be useful, next time you are all face to face, to have a conversation about how to communicate effectively in between sessions.

[Eamonn]

Most of the people who are selected to serve as staff members on WB courses are busy people to start with. Sometimes we forget just how busy other people can be and how many other activities some people are active in.

Even if you do have a friendly style of communicating sometimes when you (Not you personally!) Send out "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.. "

It can be taken as being a little pushy or as you being a little needy. (Again, I'm not saying that you are!)

Just like participants who take the course sometimes return to their units and want to change the world because they are on a Training High, some staff members feel the need to dive in at the deep end and sometimes do a Little too much.

 

Presenting a WB course is in some ways like pouting on a play.

The syllabus is the script the CD is the director. While the CD has signed a document saying that he or she will present the course as it is, he or she does bring a vision of how he wants things to go.

While I think the TG's are very important and vital staff members when I was a CD I wanted them to of course stick to the syllabus. I also wanted them to buy into my vision and not go wandering off and doing their own thing. One of my big jobs was to sell them my ideas and my vision so that they would buy in and follow my direction.

Sadly I had one guy who just wasn't able to do this and I had no choice but to remove him from the staff.

My expectations of Troop Guides when I was CD was that they would be loyal to the course, that is that they would present the material as it was written and be loyal to the other staff members. Their most important role was being there for the members of their patrol. Over 90% of the questions that they will be asked will boil down to matters of opinion and will not be covered by the syllabus. A good Troop Guide is the most important person for his or her patrol.

Like it or not sometimes trying to organize or help other busy Scouter's is like herding cats. They are very busy to start with before they undertook serving as a staff member. Many are used to being the guy at the top and have their own way of doing things and getting things done. The way and ways they get things done might be very different than the way you do?

After sending one email I'd step back and wait to see what happens.

If nothing happens? That's OK.

Go back and read the syllabus again and look for all the ways that you can ensure that the members of your Patrol will get the most out of the course. This is best done by a really good and deep understanding of what is in the syllabus.

Take my word for it nothing that is in that syllabus is there by accident.

Even a cheap pen comes back to make a point. (No! I'm not saying where!)

Ea.

 

[desertrat77]

Signs of the times....

 

Some lack courtesy, others are just overwhelmed by the many commitments in life.

 

Moosetracker, in your case, given your sign-off of "what do you think" and then receiving profound silence, indicates one of several things about the addressees: they didn't bother to read your email, or they read it and have no thought, or no courtesy, or both. Even a quick "Interesting, let's discuss" would have been preferable to nothing at all.

 

Looking back on 26+ years in the military, as well as serving in scouting at the district level, I've found this to be true: high levels of education, experience, or rank are no guarantees of common courtesy.

 

I too get a ton of email. But I always hone in first on notes from my boss, my wife and close collegues at work and in scouting...everything else can wait.

[ramblinrosey]

Moosetracker,you may "look" like the quiet type(and I know who u are)but you are not and are a very dedicated Scouter!!!

I have to admit that I did not answer my TG back right away either, I did the second time. I have a bad habit of, yes reading My E's on phone and planning on answering when I get home, then things seem to get in way and 1 day goes by and so on.

My son is of "new generation" and I can send an email and 3 wks later I get an answer or none at all-texting is the thing. So I am now getting back in the habit of making the trusty old phone call ( or at least a verbal message on voice mail), seems to be working for family and fellow Scouting family concerns.!