Re: The Challenge

I am not a member of the Friends, but I've been around various organizations, be they non-profit or profit, preservation or not, volunteer or paid, local or cross county.

One of the hardest things to make happen is a committee (or work group) that is stretched out across the country. Or it could even be across the county. They all need someone to pull it together. Maybe that is to create the first draft, a "straw man" or a real effort. Then that person needs to elicit response from the rest of the committee. There may be times when the best response comes by a written message, by a phone call, or an actual meeting of the working group.

I have seen an organization's mission statement take several months of monthly gatherings which devoted 30-45 minutes of discussion before going on to other topics. These months were the time to explain concepts, agree, disagree, tweak with wording and phrasing, and then come to acceptance (if not agreement). Then the mission statement sailed through a vote by the governing board.

I have seen a recommended practice statement have a unique creation. The initial drafter on the document was the focal point for various written input. But, that person was unable to attend the several annual gatherings to have a discussion and edit session. However, he was key to the activity. Then for the final meeting we moved it across the continent and but for one person had a whole new discussion group; some of the best comments came from the least likely person as we entered the room.

The key is to start the process and then nursemaid it through to completion. These things just don't happen because people "feel good" about the concept."

Brian Norden