All,
I'm thinking about attending convention in three weeks. My reasons are several but most important is that I want to become more involved in USMS and I figure the best way to find out how/what/when/where is to attend convention.
Does this make sense? Would it be worthwhile?
Paul
Committees and administration and Robert's Rules are not for everyone.
I have only been to one convention, last year's. With that limited base of experience, but having dealt with similar organizational structures my entire professional life, I found last USMS convention pretty efficient while allowing people to be heard. The one committee I am on (Records & Tabulations) is very efficiently run.
I also enjoy working with my fellow LMSC officers at the local level and can see why some may view that as more rewarding.
Certainly there are "power hungry" people (for lack of a better word), longish debate about topics that some view as trivial (but others clearly do not), and other stumbling blocks, and patience is often required to get progress. That is inherent in any large organization that is not a dictatorship. If such things drive away most good-intentioned people, then who is left?
Bottom line, it takes a lot of work at the local and national level to run USMS smoothly and give value to its members. This is a sport I love and have participated in for most of my life, and I want to give back to it. I can understand why some people find participation at the national level frustrating or pointless, but it is not helpful to have a negative attitude about it. Constructive criticism is of course always welcome, though, and there can be a fine line between the two.
It is not necessary to be on a national committee or attend Convention to have an impact at the national level. Do you know who your delegates are? Have you looked over the convention agenda to see if there is something that particularly concerns or affects you? Talk to your delegates, and others from your LMSC who are on the national committees.
Committees and administration and Robert's Rules are not for everyone.
I have only been to one convention, last year's. With that limited base of experience, but having dealt with similar organizational structures my entire professional life, I found last USMS convention pretty efficient while allowing people to be heard. The one committee I am on (Records & Tabulations) is very efficiently run.
I also enjoy working with my fellow LMSC officers at the local level and can see why some may view that as more rewarding.
Certainly there are "power hungry" people (for lack of a better word), longish debate about topics that some view as trivial (but others clearly do not), and other stumbling blocks, and patience is often required to get progress. That is inherent in any large organization that is not a dictatorship. If such things drive away most good-intentioned people, then who is left?
Bottom line, it takes a lot of work at the local and national level to run USMS smoothly and give value to its members. This is a sport I love and have participated in for most of my life, and I want to give back to it. I can understand why some people find participation at the national level frustrating or pointless, but it is not helpful to have a negative attitude about it. Constructive criticism is of course always welcome, though, and there can be a fine line between the two.
It is not necessary to be on a national committee or attend Convention to have an impact at the national level. Do you know who your delegates are? Have you looked over the convention agenda to see if there is something that particularly concerns or affects you? Talk to your delegates, and others from your LMSC who are on the national committees.
