Catching up on Email

So when I finally got around to checking some of my various and sundry email accounts today I read an email from a certain ‘Bama alumna who is the chairwoman of the newly created Alabama District Alumni Association. Apparently there’s a vacancy for vice-chair. Said person wants to fill this vacancy but, in a move which displayed a huge void in leadership and maturity, she sent the following email:

SUBJECT: Ahem!

Hey y’all!

Okay, it is now August, and still no one had stepped up to be the Vice-Chairman of our organization. Is there anyone willing to do it?

It’s not that much work or commitment, especially since no one seems to want to get together more than once a year at DCON.

What happened to all our CKI leaders? The things you did on your club, district, and international boards were about a thousand times more challenging and time consuming than this will be. I am busy just like any of you. I am going to be working full-time and going to grad school full-time this semester.

This is my last plea for a Vice-Chairman. I will not ask again. Honestly, if there aren’t enough people to fill the offices, there probably aren’t enough people committed enough to make the organization worthwhile.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Cathy

My first reaction was “Wah. Cry me a river.” But after thinking more about it, I decided that there was more to say than just that and because the email was a few days old and only one other person had responded (and didn’t say anything about the tone she took with a group she’s allegedly the ‘leader’ of), I felt the need to respond.

It’s worth pointing out that recruiting alumni who have already “cut the cord” with Circle K is the hardest way to do it. Increasing membership in an Alumni Assoc. is a whole lot easier when you can get to the new members just as they leave the organization while it’s still fresh in their minds.

In other words, the folks you have now are some of the most committed and dedicated of the alumni, and I hardly think that guilt tripping those people is going to prove beneficial or successful in the long run.

Besides: what, exactly, is there for a Vice-chairman to do right now? Sure, there’s a position open, but what work is not being done or being picked up by others that the existence of a Vice-chairman would actually help? If that’s a short list, maybe getting bent out of shape over one vacant position is a waste of effort… and if it’s not a short list, conveying what, exactly, is not getting done would be a much more effective method of recruiting than tossing out vague ultimatums.

As with most other things, keeping perspective on this issue is key.

One last thing: if this vacant position is so important, you might try asking individuals personally that you know could do the job. If you’ve already been doing that, disregard this little bit.

I know that all sounds a little ungrateful but we really do appreciate the hard work you’ve put in to get things off the ground. Anyway…

Having a great weekend,
-Pete

I could just hear the whiny, condemning tone she was taking with a group of adults and, frankly, it just annoyed the hell out of me. I thought I did well to be as civil as I was, because I left a lot of things out that I really should’ve said.